He added that the Supreme Court’s decision to reprimand yoga guru Baba Ramdev for circulating misleading advertisements of his Ayush products, including Drishti eye drops, with the claim that they treat glaucoma or cataracts, double vision, colour vision, and night blindness, has exposed the loopholes in the existing drug laws. “I hope the intervention will put an end to the inaction on the part of the Ministry of Health in enacting the amendment, which they have been sitting over for the past four years,” said Dr Babu.Dr Babu said he filed the complaint with the PMO after he received an RTI reply from the health ministry that the amendment to the draft “is still pending..no further noting is available.”The ministry proposed the amendment to the DMR Act, 1954, on February 3, 2020. This act applies to all drugs, including Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy medicines. It prohibits the advertisement for specific purposes of remedies and treatments alleged to possess magic qualities.The government came out with the draft bill after concerns were raised on the implementation and effectiveness of the DMR (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, the ministry had informed Dr Babu.Four-year delay PMO’s direction came after a complaint filed by Kerala-based Dr K V Babu after the health ministry sat over its draft amendment to DMR Act, 1954 for 4 years. The amendment widened the scope of the act.
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