Ayush Suraksha to combat misleading ads and combat spurious drugs

The Union Ayush Ministry has launched Ayush Suraksha to curb misleading ads and monitor adverse reactions to Indian medicines. Hyderabad and Warangal have been chosen as Pharmacovigilance centres. Citizens can report suspicious products via ayushsuraksha.com

Hyderabad: The rising demand for Indian medicine in recent years has fuelled a market for spurious drugs, misleading advertisements, and dubious health claims by fly-by-night operators seeking quick profits.

To curb these practices, the Union Ministry of Ayush, in coordination with State governments, has launched the Ayush Suraksha initiative — the first of its kind — aimed at reducing drug-related harm and misleading advertising in the AYUSH sector.

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Misleading claims and advertisements by unscrupulous elements bring disrepute to genuine and well-intentioned practitioners of Indian medicine. A robust Pharmacovigilance system was long overdue, one that would empower consumers to report such instances, said senior Ayurveda practitioners in Hyderabad.

As part of the initiative, the Ministry has set up Intermediary Pharmacovigilance Centres and Peripheral Pharmacovigilance Centres across several States to regulate AYUSH medicines.

In Hyderabad, the Government Nizamia Tibbi College near Charminar has been designated as a peripheral centre for Unani medicine, while the Government Ayurveda College, Warangal, will serve as a centre for Ayurveda.

These centres will manage a database of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) and monitor objectionable or misleading advertisements. The public can also visit the official website, ayushsuraksha.com, to report adverse reactions or misleading claims.

While systems like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani have been practised in India for centuries, the globalisation era has raised concerns about their clinical safety. Ayurveda, for instance, has categorized toxic plants separately, which require special processing before medicinal use.

“There is a widespread misconception that all drugs of natural origin are inherently safe,” the Ayush Ministry said.

“Long-standing traditional use does not always ensure safety or efficacy. Furthermore, when Ayush medicines are used alongside modern drugs, drug interactions may occur. Most reported adverse events linked to herbal or traditional products are due to poor product quality or improper use.”