Acharya Balkrishna, Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved has defended Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan's presence at the press conference where the company had announced Coronil's CoPP certification by WHO-GMP. He also said that he was disappointed by the Indian Medical Association's comments on Coronil kit. Balkrishna added that Dr Harsh Vadhan did not endorse any ayurvedic medicine nor did he undermine modern medicine. "Our Honourable Health Minister never undermined modern medicine, rather his presence in the event showed his sincere efforts as a health minister to provide acceptability to other forms of medical systems," he said.
The Patanjali MD said that they were saddened to see that some of the current healthcare professionals are less engaged in scientific research and understanding. He said it is due to such situations that blunt statements were made by the IMA that claimed that Coronil was a "falsely fabricated unscientific product". "It is beyond us to comprehend the serious and extremely offensive comment," he said, adding that all their research has been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Balkrishna said that the medicines introduced during the press conference have been validated through in-depth in-vitro and in-vivo biological and chemical studies, along with randomised clinical trials. Rigorous norms of biological and clinical research were followed, he said, adding that the formulations are based on the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda.
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Harsh Vardhan's presence was meant to send a message to billions of Indians that there are other forms of medicine based on scientific evidence, other than modern medicine. "Dr Harsh Vardhan didn't endorse any ayurvedic medicine, neither, did he undermine the modern medicines. He has done what a health minister should do: raise the awareness of his countrymen in the face of a persistent crisis," he said. "We believe there is nothing unethical about it," said Balkrishna.
"We have shared all our research data with Ministry of Ayush, Govt of India. The ministry has approved and categorically agreed for Coronil as medicine for COVID-19 management," he stated. Balkrishna further added, "WHO - Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliant Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) licence has been issued to Coronil by the Drug Controller General of India, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) as per the defined quality parameters," he added.
On Friday, yoga guru Baba Ramdev released a research paper by the Patanjali Research Institute on the "first evidence-based corona medicine" on the Ayurveda immunity booster -- Coronil. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari were also present at the event. IMA questioned the accuracy of the kit as well as the presence of the Health Minister in the event and said, "Being Health Minister of the country, how justified is it to release such falsely fabricated unscientific product to people of the whole country... can you clarify the time frame, timeline for the so-called clinical trial of this said anti-corona product? The country needs an explanation from the minister. The Indian Medical Association will also write to National Medical Commission for seeking suo moto explanation for his blatant disrespect to the code of conduct of Medical Council of India."
Also read: Patanjali clarifies on Coronil efficacy as WHO says it's 'not certified'
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