SC Suggests Ayush Ministry Create Dashboard for Complaints

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday advised the Ministry of Ayush to create a centralised dashboard to inform citizens about actions taken on their complaints regarding misleading advertisements. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta emphasized the importance of this dashboard in providing transparency and keeping the public informed.

The court proposed that the Ministry of Ayush set up a dashboard listing complaints received from various states and the corresponding actions taken. This data would be made available to all consumers, allowing them to track the progress and outcomes of their complaints. The court highlighted that the dashboard would also address issues related to prosecution under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

The top court expressed concern over the non-availability of data related to complaints on misleading advertisements, which leaves consumers unaware of the actions taken. The bench also acknowledged the Amicus's suggestion regarding the need for centralized routing of complaints.

The court was hearing a plea from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which seeks to establish guidelines to prohibit false and misleading advertisements related to allopathy and modern medicine. The petition also brought attention to a campaign of misinformation against the modern system of medicine.

The IMA's plea included allegations against Patanjali Ayurveda and its promoters, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, for spreading misleading advertisements. Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna had previously offered an unconditional apology regarding the misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurveda, committing to uphold the majesty of law and justice.