IMA's remark 'uncalled for': Patanjali backs Harsh Vardhan in Coronil row
Patanjali said the health minister never undermined modern medicine and hence IMA's criticism was 'appalling'.
As the Indian Medical Association has slammed Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan for apparently "endorsing" Patanjali's Divya Coronil tablets for the treatment of Covid-19, Patanjali Research Foundation Trust on Wednesday said IMA's remarks were uncalled for. The health minister was present at the press meet where Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev claimed that Coronil is part of Covid-19 treatment. Later, he claimed that the medicine has received certification from the World Health Organization, which the WHO dismissed.
"Our honourable health minister never undermined modern medicine. Rather his presence in the event showed his sincere efforts as a health minister to provide acceptability to other forms of medicinal systems," Patanjali said on Wednesday.
Reiterating that Coronil has been awarded the CoPP (Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product) licence, Patanjali claimed that the certificate is compliant with WHO - Good Manufacturing Practices, and has been issued to Coronil by the Drug Controller General of India, as per the defined quality parameters.
"We have shared all our research data with the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. The ministry has approved and categorically agreed for Coronil as medicine for Covid-19 management," Patanjali said.
"Coronil is an evidence-based medicine with integration of scientifically validated research evidences under pre-clinical and clinical expertise. The composition of this medicine has been disclosed to public at large, and had been thoroughly reviewed and scrutinised by the competent licensing authorities," it said adding that IMA is wrong in terming Coronil a secret medicine.
After WHO South-East Asia clarified that it has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment of Covid-19, Patanjali explained that the certificate was from the Ayush section of the Central drugs Standard Control Organisation, which was compliant with WHO certification scheme. It also said that WHO does not approve or disapprove any drug.
