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New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Five years on, proposal to amend act on misleading ads still on hold: RTI
NEW DELHI: Five years ago, the Union Health Ministry proposed significant changes to amend the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, which aimed to take stringent action against misleading advertisements, including those of Ayush medicines. However, an RTI has revealed that the ministry seems to have kept it in cold storage, as there has been no movement after November 2022. The amendments to the DMR (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, proposed widening the scope of the Act by introducing 24 more diseases and disorders, including drugs for treatment for enhancing sexual performance, and fairness of skin. The act applies to all drugs, including Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy medicines. Replying to an RTI filed by activist, Dr KV Babu, the Union Health Ministry on May 15 said, 'As per available records, no noting has been recorded after 09/11/2022 in File No A.11035/133/2014-DFQC.' The Kerala-based ophthalmologist said, 'The draft proposal was put on the public domain in February 2020 following criticism of Parliamentary Standing Committee in 2018. Instead of 54 diseases, the scope was widened to 78 diseases and disorders and the punishment was enhanced to two years and five years, instead of six months and one year.' 'The proposed amendment has been under suspended animation for more than five years, and there is no file movement after November 2022,' he said.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
In a first, state regulatory authority warns Ayurvedic drug making firm
1 2 3 4 Kozhikode: In a first-of-its-kind move in the country, regulatory authorities in the state have acted against a prominent Ayurvedic drug manufacturer for violating Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which is meant to prevent misleading advertisements. Acting on a complaint filed by ophthalmologist and RTI activist Dr K V Babu on Feb 11, the Kerala deputy drugs controller (Ayurveda) carried out an investigation and subsequently issued a stern warning to Pankajakasthuri Herbals India Pvt Ltd for alleged violation of Rule 170 which mandates that manufacturers obtain prior approval from state licensing authorities before advertising their products. The drugs controller stated that any further violation could result in stringent measures against the firm, including withdrawal of the medicine's production licence. The investigation revealed that the company had not obtained approval for the advertisement issued for Orthoherb tablet published in a Malayalam daily on Jan 9. Pankajakasthuri Herbals had in its explanation to the drugs controller said that it had withdrawn the said advertisements and assured that it would issue advertisements in future only after obtaining prior approval. Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, is designed to prevent misleading advertisements for Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani (AYUSH) drugs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You - See Tips Amusement Park Equipment | search ads Click Here Undo Specifically, it requires manufacturers to obtain prior approval from state licensing authorities before advertising their products. Dr Babu said the action taken by the deputy drugs controller (Ayurveda) was significant as it was for the first time in the country that action was taken on a complaint regarding Rule 170 after the rule was reinstated by the Supreme Court on Aug 27, 2024. Though Rule 170 was gazetted by the govt on Dec 24, 2018, it was stayed by the Delhi and Bombay high courts in 2019 and later omitted by the central govt.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Centre yet to act on model state law for healthcare workers' safety
NEW DELHI: Following the nationwide protests over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee postgraduate student at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the Centre had proposed a model state law to protect healthcare workers. However, despite the proposal, the Union Home Ministry and the Union Health Ministry have yet to meet to discuss the law's modalities. This delay comes even as the Centre had earlier backed out of introducing a separate central law for healthcare professionals in 2019. Kerala-based RTI activist Dr K V Babu, who has been pursuing the matter since last year, said the Home Ministry acknowledged through an RTI that the model state law was proposed in 2024. But since its formulation in September last year, he said, both ministries appear 'clueless' about its status. Speaking to TNIE, Dr Babu said that following the incident at RG Kar Medical College, the government proposed drafting the law, as confirmed by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Home Ministry in an RTI reply. 'Now, it also seems to be kept in cold storage. This is a deplorable state of affairs, and I hope the Union Home Ministry will pursue the model state law," he said. "I hope the model state act does not meet the same fate as was the case with the proposal to enact a central law for the protection of HCWs, which was mooted by the Ministry of Health in 2019."
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Non-starter: Centre's new legal shield for health workers after Kolkata rape
NEW DELHI: The Centre had proposed a model state law to protect healthcare workers following the nationwide protests after the rape and murder of a trainee postgraduate student in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. However, despite the government's proposal, the Union Home Ministry and the Union Health Ministry are yet to hold a meeting to discuss the modalities of the law. This comes as the Centre has retracted from its earlier proposal of a separate central law to deal with offences against healthcare professionals in 2019. Kerala-based RTI activist Dr K V Babu, who has been pursuing the issue, said the Home Ministry has acknowledged in the RTI that the model state law was proposed last year. However, since the proposal was made in September, he said that both the ministries seem clueless about its status. Dr Babu said that following the RG Kar Medical College case, the government proposed drafting a model state law for the protection of healthcare workers (HCWs), as acknowledged by the Central Public Information Officer of the Home Ministry in the RTI reply. 'Now, it seems to be kept in cold storage. This is a deplorable state of affairs, and I hope the Home Ministry will pursue the model state law,' he said.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
PMO directs Union Health Ministry to address non-payment of stipends to medical college interns, residents
NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has directed the Union Health Ministry to take 'appropriate action' addressing the non-payment of stipends by medical colleges to interns and residents. As many as Despite the mandate, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has yet to take against the institutes for the non-payment of stipends. In fact, the The PMO's directive to the ministry came in response to an RTI filed by Kerala-based activist Dr K V Babu, who has been pursuing the matter for the past two years. In the RTI reply, the PMO said that Dr Babu's letter was received by the PMO on March 21 and has been forwarded 'for action as appropriate' through the Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) to the Department of Health and Family Welfare. 'Redressal of grievance is under the purview of appropriate authority dealing with subject-specific. Therefore, the information sought relates to the authority concerned to which the complaint was forwarded,' the RTI reply, dated April 24, said. Dr Babu said he had written to the PMO after the NMC did not take any action and the health ministry failed to ensure the Council followed rules. "Here is a peculiar situation, and hence, I have made the request to the PMO. The State Medical Councils have no jurisdiction on this issue, and the NMC has failed to take action, while the Health Ministry has been evasive, though payment of stipend to MBBS interns and PG doctors is mandatory. Non-payment of stipend is punishable, as per the NMC regulations,' Dr Babu added. "I do believe intervention by the PMO will end the injustice to interns and PG doctors who are not being paid any stipend or even nominal stipends by many medical college managements across the nation," he added. On January 29, Dr Babu wrote to Union Health Minister JP Nadda and urged him to intervene under Section 45 of the NMC Act, which gives the central government the power to issue policy directions to the Commission and Autonomous Boards. He then wrote to the PMO on March 16. When he did not receive a response, he filed an RTI on March 23 to seek the status of his letter to the PMO.
