Even as the clamour for a review of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act is gathering momentum, the authorities have registered 630 cases in two years, indicating the widespread of violation of the act in the country.
As per the information made available by the State Drugs Control Authorities, 630 cases were registered for investigations and 69 prosecutions were launched in the year 2010 - 2011 and 2011 - 2012 under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act.
The misleading advertisements relating to drugs and magic remedies are taken care of by the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules made there under. State Governments are responsible for taking action as per provisions of the Act.
Similarly, 57 food items have been identified with misleading claims through print and electronic media. Manufacturers of these articles have been served with show-cause notices. Prosecution has been launched in 19 cases by designated officers at their regional levels, according to official sources.
As regards advertisement relating to food articles, the Food Safety Standards & Authority of India (FSSAI) monitors labels on various food items and claims advertised for food items by different companies in print and electronic media.
The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) had seized medical products worth around Rs.113 crore across the state during the last one year for violating the provisions of Act.
Meanwhile, the experts and the stakeholders have been pressing for a review of the Act which was in fact enacted sixty years back and scenario had changed a lot ever since. One of the suggestions is to make the act more progressive and positive so that the companies could pass on genuine and required information to the public.
The new regulation should also give detailed guidelines on the nature and content of advertisements specifically preventing exaggerated, misleading advertisements but permitting authentic information by way of advertisements, they argue.