Keypoints:
- Maha Home Minister said that Patanjali’s medicine won’t be allowed in Maharashtra without proper certification from competent authorities.
- The Patanjali product was launched on February 19 in the presence of Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari.
- Maha Home Minister said this after IMA expressed shock over the ‘blatant lie of WHO certification’
On Tuesday, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the sale of coronil tablets of Patanjali won’t be allowed in Maharashtra without proper certification from competent authorities.
Minister said that, “The #IMA has questioned the said `clinical trials’ of Coronil & WHO refuted the false claims made by Patanjali Ayurveda for giving any certificate regarding its effectiveness for Covid19 treatment,” Deshmukh said. “…selling of #Coronil without proper certification from competent health organisations like #WHO, #IMA and others will not be allowed in Maharashtra.”
On 19 February, Yogi Guru Ramdev had said that the Coronil tablet had received certification from the Ayush Ministry as a medicine supporting COVID-19 treatment as per the WHO’s certification scheme.
Managing Director of Patanjali, Acharya Balakrishna however said that “We want to clarify to avoid confusion that our WHO GMP compliant COPP certificate to Coronil is issued by DCGI, Government of India” and “WHO do not approve or disapprove any drugs”.
Deshmukh tweeted with naming anyone that it was “highly deplorable” that two senior Union ministers endorsed the drug.
Anil Deshmukh took to his official Twitter account to announce the news. He said, `Launching such a drug hurriedly and being endorsed by two senior Central Union Ministers is highly deplorable. Selling of Coronil without proper certification from competent health organizations like WHO, IMA and others will not be allowed in Maharashtra.`
The #IMA has questioned the said 'clinical trials' of #Coronil & WHO refuted the false claims made by #Patanjali Ayurveda for giving any certificate regarding its effectiveness for #Covid19 treatment. (1/2)
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) February 23, 2021
Earlier on Monday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had expressed shock over the ‘blatant lie of WHO certification’ for Patanjali’s Coronil tablet.
.@WHO has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment #COVID19.
— WHO South-East Asia (@WHOSEARO) February 19, 2021
The IMA said, “Being Health Minister of the country, how justified is it to release such falsely fabricated unscientific product to people of the whole country. Can you clarify the time frame, time line for the so-called clinical trial of this said anti-corona product?”
“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,” the IMA added.
“Indian Medical Association is shocked to note the blatant lie of WHO certification,” the IMA’s official statement read.
