The Central Government will soon bring in strict legislations to book medical practitioners of Indian Systems of Medicines (ISM) claiming cure for diseases like cancer, HIV/AIDS, impotency etc., by strengthening the Drugs & Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954, Dr Anbumoni Ramdoss, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, has said.

While attending a function at National Institute of Siddha (NIS), Chennai, Ramdoss said that similar bogus claims by allopathic practitioners would also be checked with the amendment of the rules. A large number of patients approached such medical practioners and risked their lives, believing such advertisements.

Such practitioners should refrain from false claims, before the government commences action. It has also been observed that numerous such practitioners are advertising in the private television networks, he added.

As reported in Pharmabiz, the Union health ministry is planning to amend the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 with penalty provisions of conviction for a minimum of three years for repeated offenders. The objective is to replace the four-decade old obsolete and weak rules restricting unethical and objectionable advertisements of drugs and cosmetics published in the media. Besides, the government is planning to constitute a Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Board, to advice the Central and State Governments on technical matters arising out of the administration of the act and to carry out any functions defined in detail under the act.

Ramdoss also commented that the State Government should release a five-acre land for building a research laboratory for the NIS.

"The Traditional Digital Knowledge Library consists of 1.15 lakh formulations from ISM and will soon register it with 15 patent offices throughout the world," he said.

The hospital under NIS has been named as 'Ayothidoss Pandithar Hospital,' in memory of the ancient Siddha physician Ayothidoss Pandithar.