AYUSH Min approves Patanjali's Coronil as immunity booster; can't sell it as COVID-19 cure

The AYUSH Ministry on Tuesday approved the sales of Patanjali's Coronil as an immunity booster and gave it the license to make three medicines and allowed clinical trial under the rules. However, the Ministry said that Baba Ramdev's firm will not be able to sell its medicine with claims of curing Coronavirus. The Ministry also said that Coronil cannot mention COVID-19 on its packaging.

Replying to a notice sent by the Uttarakhand government, Patanjali Ayurved on Monday claimed that it has not promoted any kit to treat Coronavirus but only shared with the media the successful trial of medicine.

'Didn't promote COVID-19 cure': Patanjali

Patanjali Ayurved last week launched a drug called Coronil, claiming that it had cured within a week all COVID-19 patients who took part in a trial conducted at the privately-run National Institute of Medical Sciences in Jaipur. The claim triggered a row with the Union AYUSH ministry telling the firm not to sell the self-touted "cure" until it has examined the issue.

Uttarakhand's Ayurveda department said the firm had only applied for a licence to manufacture an immunity booster and not a cure for COVID-19. In its reply to the department's notice, the Haridwar-based company backtracked from its claim of finding a 'cure' of COVID-19.

The company said it has not sold any product called Corona Kit, nor has it publicised it as a treatment against Coronavirus. But it added, "We have only promoted the successful trial of the medicine before the media." The company said it had only packed medicines named Divya Swasari Vati, Divya Coronil tablet and Divya Anu Tel in a carton for shipping purposes. It also claimed that it has not violated any law and the question of action against it does not arise.

READ | Uddhav govt warns Ramdev over Patanjali's Coronil; won't allow sale till clinically proven

Moreover, Patanjali CEO Acharya Balkrishna on Thursday said that all procedures were followed to manufacture the medicine, Coronil, and they have not done anything wrong while obtaining the licence. He added that the company did not advertise the self-touted "cure" for Coronavirus infection and just tried to tell people about its effects.

READ | FIR lodged in Rajasthan against Baba Ramdev, Patanjali MD over company's Coronil launch

'We did not advertise the medicine'

"We have followed all procedures to manufacture the medicine (Coronil). We applied for the licence based on classical evidence of the compounds used in the medicine. We worked on the compounds and put out the results of the clinical trial before people," ANI quoted Acharya Balkrishna as saying.

"We have not done anything wrong while obtaining the licence. We did not advertise the medicine (Coronil), we just tried to tell people about the effects of the medicine," he added.

READ | Rajasthan Health Dept issues notice to Jaipur Hospital over conducting 'Coronil' trials

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Police on Saturday lodged an FIR against Baba Ramdev for launching Coronil. Four others – MD of Patanjali Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna, Director of National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMS), Jaipur, BS Tomar; his son Anurag Tomar, and senior scientist Anurag Varshney – have also been named in the FIR.

READ | 'Did nothing wrong while obtaining Coronil's licence, didn't advertise it': Patanjali CEO

(With agency inputs)