After Baba Ramdev's claim on Patanjali's Coronil, a clarification from WHO
"WHO has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment #COVID19," the global health body said in a tweet on Friday without naming Patanjali and Coronil as drugs cleared for treatment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has clarified that it has not given a nod to any traditional medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), amid claims made by Patanjali Ayurved about Coronil's clearance by the global health body.
"WHO has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment #COVID19," the global health body said in a tweet on Friday without naming Patanjali and Coronil as drugs cleared for treatment.
The clarification from WHO comes on the day Yoga Guru Ram Dev who owns Patanjali claimed that Coronil has the Indian government and the global health body's nod. Ramdev also claimed that 'Coronil' is very effective to boost immunity and control Covid-19.
Also read: Patanjali claims Coronil gets Ayush Ministry certification as per WHO scheme
"The government has given the green signal after completing the entire scientific research evidence, which is based on the international parameters. The country and the world also agreed, the WHO also agreed and now we have the option to sell 'Coronil' in more than 150 countries with scientific evidence," Ramdev told ANI on Friday.
Ramdev further told ANI that those applying for the vaccine should take Coronil first so that it increases their immunity. "Covid-19 vaccines may take some time to increase immunity. Those who are not getting vaccines can take Coronil, because there is nothing better than this. Coronil is useful in evidence-based treatment for Covid-19 prevention and very useful for post-Covid complications also," Ramdev said.
The Haridwar-based Ayurved on Friday said Coronil has Ayush Ministry's nod as per World Health Organization (WHO) certification scheme, claiming that it is the first evidence-based medicine to fight the viral contagion.
However, the celebratory confirmation from Patanjali did not highlight that the medicine had the nod for hitting shelves as a pharmaceutical product, as specified by the WHO, and not for treating Covid-19 infection.
The Ministry of Ayush has also recognised Coronil tablet as medicine for "supporting measure in Covid-19".
According to the WHO's treatment arms, only corticosteroids have been proven effective against severe and critical Covid-19.
Furthermore, in a solidarity trial's interim results, published in October last year, it was found that all four treatments evaluated - remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon - had little or no effect on overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay in hospitalised patients.
Based on a similar trial's result, WHO agreed to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir drugs.
Patanjali had introduced Ayurveda-based Coronil on June 23 last year, when the pandemic was at its peak. However, it had to face severe criticism as it lacked scientific evidence.
