'If Coronil Is Effective, Why Is Government Spending Rs 35,000 Crore On Vaccination?': Indian Medical Association

Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded an explanation from Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan about his presence at the Patajali's Ayurved's event where the company launched 'Coronil'.

The IMA has expressed shock over the Patanjali blatantly lying that Coronil has received 'WHO certification' in the presence of the Union Minister.

"How can a drug be effective for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation from the disease? If Coronil is effective for prevention, why (is the) government spending ₹35,000 crores on vaccination?" the association said in a statement.

On Friday, Patanjali co-founder and president Swami Ramdev relaunched 'Coronil' and made claims that it is the 'first evidence-based medicine to fight against COVID-19'. Patanjali's managing director Acharya Balkrishna claimed that Coronil had received Ayush Ministry's certification as a medicine supporting COVID-19 treatment as per the WHO's certification scheme.

Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari were present at the event.

Fumed over Dr Vardhan's presence at the event, the IMA in a statement said the claim is a blatant lie fooling people of the country. Tha association also said that they will write to the National Medical Commission seeking suo moto explanation for this blatant disrespect to the code of conduct, Hindustan Times.

The IMA note comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) clarified that "it has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment of COVID-19."

"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 product 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," the statement said.

It also pointed out that as per the code of act of the Medical Council of India, no doctor can promote any drug. "Whether for compensation or otherwise, any 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 WHO's clarification, Patanjali's managing director Acharya Balkrishna also clarified that the COPP certificate is issued by the Government of India and not WHO.

In June last year, Patanjali had launched Coronil and had claimed that it can cure COVID in seven days. The AYUSH ministry had then told the company not to advertise the product till claims are verified. The company later made a u-turn and said that it is not a drug but an immunity booster.

Also Read: Coronil: Yoga Guru Ramdev Releases Paper On Patanjali's First 'Proof-Based' COVID Drug In Presence Of Health Minister