Selling of Patanjali Coronil tablets would not be permitted without ‘proper certification’ in Maharashtra, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Tuesday.
The statement came a day after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) expressed shock at the “blatant lie of WHO certification” for Coronil tablets, which Patanjali claims to be evidence-based COVID-19 medicine.
While the IMA also sought an explanation from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, in whose presence the medication was launched, the World Health Organization clarified that the efficacy of any conventional medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 had not been tested or accredited.
Deshmukh said on Twitter without naming anyone that it was “highly deplorable” that two senior Union ministers endorsed the drug.
“The #IMA has questioned the said `clinical trials’ of #Coronil & WHO refuted the false claims made by #Patanjali Ayurveda for giving any certificate regarding its effectiveness for #Covid19 treatment,” Deshmukh said.
“…selling of #Coronil without proper certification from competent health organizations like #WHO, #IMA and others will not be allowed in Maharashtra,” the minister said.
Launching such a drug hurriedly and being endorsed by two senior Central Union Ministers is highly deplorable. Selling of #Coronil without proper certification from competent health organizations like #WHO, #IMA and others will not be allowed in Maharashtra. (2/2)
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) February 23, 2021
Yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved had on February 19 said the Coronil tablet had received certification from the Ayush Ministry as a medicine supporting COVID-19 treatment as per the WHO’s certification scheme.
However, Patanjali’s managing director Acharya Balkrishna later said “We want to clarify to avoid confusion that our WHO GMP compliant COPP certificate to Coronil is issued by DCGI, Government of India” and “WHO do not approve or disapprove any drugs”.
