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Misleading advertisements and health claims by the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drug companies have been a major issue the country has been facing for a long time now. As the regulatory landscape in the country was weak to deal with the misleading claims by these ASU drug companies, a section of these drug companies was engaged in disseminating advertisements that claim to treat even medical conditions such as BP, diabetes, fever, epilepsy, lupus, to name only a few. These companies through their advertisements claimed to cure chronic conditions and they present their products to people as a permanent relief without any clinical proof, which is misleading and a violation of the law. Though the country had enacted the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954 (DMR Act) to control misleading advertising of these drugs, still a large number of gullible people have been falling prey to these misleading advertisements and health claims by some of the unscrupulous companies. In a country like India, where a large number of people were illiterate, such a law was the need of the hour to save them from the unscrupulous elements whose only intention was to make quick money. Unfortunately, the DMR Act proved to be highly ineffective in checking misleading advertisements of drugs and magical remedies as there were several loopholes in the law. As the law was proved ineffective, the objectionable and unethical drug advertisements were on the rise in the country. Consequently, as there has always been a large constituency for magical cures in the country, millions of people have been duped by these companies. Naturally, people have not only lost money, but many suffered the adverse consequences of fake drugs and remedies. What is more appalling is the fact that even big and reputed companies are involved in this unscrupulous practice.
Under this backdrop, the launch of a portal, AyushSuraksha Portal, by the Union Ayush Ministry is a welcome step as it will address the issues of misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the country. With the launch this much awaited portal, the Ministry now has a centralised and accessible dashboard of reported cases, enabling real-time tracking, swift regulatory action and detailed data analysis. The portal will also ensure that citizens have a direct channel to voice their concerns, with transparent visibility into the action taken on their reports. Certainly, the new portal will serve as a vigilant watchtower against misleading advertisements and ensure that only safe and credible products reach the people. The new portal represents a significant advancement in pharmacovigilance and regulatory convergence within the Ayush ecosystem. By integrating data from State Licensing Authorities, national pharmacovigilance centres, and key regulatory stakeholders, the portal will facilitate real-time monitoring, systematic analysis, and coordinated action on misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions. The ministry has made it accessible to the public so that any citizen can directly report misleading ads or ADRs via the portal. The portal, developed with the technical support of the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and aligned with the National Pharmacovigilance Program, allows consumers, healthcare professionals, and regulatory authorities to report and monitor misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions through a seamless digital process. No doubt, with the launch of the AyushSuraksha Portal, the ministry is empowering citizens and professionals alike to become active participants in safeguarding the integrity of Ayush systems. Of course, it is a welcome step by the Union Ayush Ministry.
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