A large number of well established Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) products which have been in the market for several decades will not be able to retain its brand name any longer as the union health ministry has banned the use of prefixes and suffixes with the classical ASU formulation name in the ASU classical Patent and Proprietary drugs.

In an order that will prove to be a body blow to the ASU drug manufacturers in the country, the Department of Ayush has asked the state licensing authorities to immediately ban such brands which are prefixing or suffixing the classical ASU formulation name but are not manufactured as per the 54 books mentioned in the First Schedule of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Simply put, the health ministry order means that the ASU companies cutting across fame and size will not be able to sell their established products with the same brand name as the companies have over the years made some changes from the original formulations. For instance, Several ayurveda majors will no longer be able to market their well established brands in the Chyavanprash category in the same brand name as they have made some deviations from the original formulations for various reasons. The ASU companies have to change their brand name immediately to escape the wrath of the health ministry.

According to the Ayush department, there are many ASU products in the market as patent and proprietary drugs with some prefix or suffix with the classical name being marketed under a brand name which is misleading and improper use of a classical ASU drug name. This is misleading the consumers and also attracts provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules relating to misbranded ASU drugs.

The Ayush department said the decision to ban the use of prefix and suffix with the classical ASU formulation name was taken after a series of meetings of the ASU Drugs Technical Advisory Board (ASU DTAB). Issuing the order, the Ayush department has invoked Section 33p of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940) under which it is binding on the state licensing authorities to implement the order.