The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought an explanation from Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan for promoting Patanajali’s Coronil medicine. The IMA said it is shocked by the “blatant lie of the World Health Organization (WHO) certification for a secret medicine launched by an entrepreneur in the presence of the Health Minister”.
The Association came down heavily on the Health Minister. “Being a Health Minister of the country, how justified is it to release such falsely fabricated unscientific product to people of the whole country and how ethical is it to promote the product in unethical, wrong and false ways,” asked IMA national president Dr Jayalal in a statement.
The IMA also pointed out that during an interview after the launch of Coronil on February 19, Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev made several claims calling Coronil the “first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19 by Patanjali”. The IMA said that Ramdev went on to criticize modern medicine being medical terrorism in front of the Health Minister, who is a qualified modern medical doctor.
The Association said that under section 6:1:1 of the code of act of the Medical Council of India, “A physician shall not recommend or endorse any medicine or drug with his name, signature, or photograph in any form.”
Seeking an explanation from the Union Health Minister, the IMA informed that it would be writing to the National Medical Commission (NMC) for violating the code of conduct. The Medical Council of India sets the code of conduct. “The country needs an explanation from the minister. The Indian Medical Association will also write to National Medical Commission for seeking suo moto explanation for his blatant disrespect to the code of conduct of Medical Council of India,” IMA said.
The IMA also asked some tough questions to the Union Health Minister regarding the launch of the Coronil and claims made by Ramdev. “If Coronil is effective from prevention, why is the Government spending Rs 35,000 crores for vaccination,” the IMA asked in its press release.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Kerala recorded 2,212 new Covid-19 cases, 5,037 recoveries and 16 deaths. The state has collected 38,103 samples in the last 24 hours and the Test Positivity Rate is 5.91%.
