IMA expressed shock over Patanjali lying that Coronil has received ‘WHO certification’ in the presence of the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
This comes in view of WHO, a global health body, clarifying that it has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment of COVID-19.
IMA has clearly demanded an explanation from Dr. Harsh Vardhan about his presence and statements at the Patanjali Ayurved’s event where the company launched ‘Coronil’, the so-called corona medicine.
“How can a drug be effective for disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation? If coronil is effective for prevention, why is the government spending Rs.35,000 crore on vaccination?” The association said in a statement.
On 19th February, Patanjali co-founder and president Swami Ramdev withdrew ‘CORONIL’, claiming that it was the first evidence-based drug to fight against COVID-19.
Patanjali Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna claimed that Coronil has received the Ministry of AYUSH certificate as a medicine supporting COVID-19 treatment as per the WHO certification scheme.
But the most shocking thing was the presence of the Union ministers Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari in the program.
Expressing anger over Dr. Vardhan’s presence at the event, the IMA said in a statement that this claim is fooling the people of the country.
The association also said that they will write a letter to the National Medical Commission so that a case can be filed against the person who disrespects the code of conduct.
The IMA note came after the World Health Organization clarified that “it has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any conventional medicine for the treatment of COVID-19.“
IMA quoted- “How appropriate and rational is it to release such false projections in front of the whole country? Being a Health Minister of the country, how justified is it to release such falsely fabricated unscientific products, and how ethical is it to promote the product in unethical, wrong, and false ways to the whole country? Being a modern medicine doctor, how ethical is it to promote the unscientific product?“
It also stated that according to the Code of Act of the Medical Council of India ‘no doctor can promote any medicine’. Whether for compensation or otherwise, any other approval, recommendation, endorsement, certificate, report or statement” and said that it was “shocking that the Minister himself is promoting the Coronil,” the statement read.
Following the WHO’s clarification, Patanjali Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna also clarified that the COPP certificate has been issued by the Government of India and not by the WHO.
We want to clarify to avoid confusion that our WHO GMP compliant COPP certificate to Coronil is issued by DCGI, Government of India.
It is clear that WHO do not approve or disapprove any drugs.
WHO works for building a better, healthier future for people all over the world. pic.twitter.com/ZEDPdWy0tg— Acharya Balkrishna (@Ach_Balkrishna) February 19, 2021
In June last year, Patanjali launched Coronil and claimed that it could cure COVID in seven days. The Ministry of AYUSH had then asked the company not to advertise the product until the claim is verified. The company later took a U-turn and said that it is not a drug but an immune booster.
