SC Plea Seeks Update to 1954 Law on Medical Advertisements
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A petition filed in the Supreme Court of India has raised concerns over a 1954 law regulating medical advertisements. The law, aimed at preventing false and misleading ads, now hinders genuine doctors from promoting life-saving treatments. The petitioner, Nitin Upadhyay, has asked the Centre to establish an expert committee to review and update the law. He argues that the law's blanket ban on certain medical advertisements is outdated and prohibits truthful information from reaching the public. Section 2 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, defines 'registered medical practitioners', but AYUSH doctors and other non-allopathic practitioners are excluded from the exception. This has led to a 'complete and blanket ban' on their advertisements for serious ailments. The petitioner claims that this ban is a gross overreach, stifling the dissemination of crucial information about life-threatening diseases. He has sought a direction to the Centre to revise the law and allow genuine medical advertisements. The case highlights the need for a modern approach to regulating medical advertisements, ensuring that the public has access to accurate and reliable information about their health.
