Patanjali's troubles expose grey areas in Indian holistic health products

The recent scrutiny from the Supreme Court on the Patanjali Group has shed light on the ambiguous landscape surrounding Indian holistic health products. The court's reproach of Patanjali's outspoken criticism of allopathic medicines has also underlined the company's violations of India's Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, as well as the Drug & Cosmetic Act.

The action from the Supreme Court follows previous admonishments from the Union Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) regarding the efficacy of Patanjali's medicines and their claims of offering curative solutions.

In response to the court's scrutiny, Balkrishna Acharya, deputy to yoga guru Ramdev, submitted an unconditional apology. Patanjali's troubles, however, trace back to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Ayurveda firm consistently making headlines for contentious reasons.