Ayurvedic Practitioner Faces Scrutiny for Misleading Claims

Allegations of Misleading Advertising

Thiruvananthapuram: A registered Ayurveda practitioner is under investigation for allegedly endorsing his “Ayurvedic Drop Therapy” on social media, claiming it can fully cure various diseases such as diabetes, obesity, asthma, cancer, and ulcers. The controversy emerged after a video was shared on a Facebook page belonging to an Ayurveda hospital in Pathanamthitta, featuring the doctor discussing a specialized asthma treatment offered at 25 centers throughout Kerala.

Ethics Committee’s Response

The Ethics Committee of the Council of Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) deemed these claims a breach of professional ethics, resulting in a fine of Rs 50,000 imposed on the practitioner. He retains the option to appeal this decision to the Board of Ethics and Registration of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) in New Delhi.

Complaint from Health Advocacy Group

According to a report by The Hindu, the situation escalated after CAPSULE Kerala, a health advocacy group associated with the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad, lodged a complaint upon discovering the advertisement. The complaint alleged that the doctor claimed to cure multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, uterine issues, cancer, brain tumors, liver cirrhosis, allergies, and varicose veins. Additionally, he promoted a product named ‘Sidhan’s Vericoil’.

Doctor’s Defense and Previous Violations

Following the complaint, the ISM Council summoned the practitioner, who explained that a blogger had recorded an interview with him and that the hospital’s staff uploaded the content to Facebook without his consent. He further stated that the video had since been removed.

However, the ISM Council highlighted that this was not the first instance of ethical violations by the practitioner. In 2018, he faced censure for disseminating misleading advertisements. That year, the Deputy Drugs Controller (Ayurveda) in Kerala had submitted a complaint to the council regarding his promotion of ‘Ayurvedic Drop Therapy’ in newspapers, falsely claiming it to be a complete cure for various illnesses. The practitioner had assured the council he would refrain from making such claims in the future.

Continued Ethical Breaches and Consequences

In 2019, additional complaints were filed against him, leading the State Human Rights Commission to call for action. The ISM Council again summoned him in person, resulting in a one-month suspension of his registration.

On December 18, 2025, the Ethics Committee determined that the practitioner continued to violate medical ethics. During the hearing, he claimed to have stopped advertising in print media; however, the council found he was still promoting his services on social media. This was identified as a clear infringement of Regulation 27 (b) (l) of the NCISM (Ethics and Registration) Regulations, 2023.