Rohit Shishodia
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) are at loggerheads over the issue of India’s Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan’s presence at the launch of Coronil, the Ayurveda drug launched by Patanjali on February 19, 2021.

“The minister attended the inaugural program in his capacity as Union Health Minister not as a modern medicine practitioner. Moreover, Dr Vardhan did not speak a word about the Coronil, where is the question of promoting?” said DMA in a press release issued by its president Dr BB Wadhwa, and Hony State Secretary, Dr Ajay Gambhir.

“He only emphasized time and again that we intend to develop Ayurveda into an evidence based medical system of treatment in modern India,” said the DMA.

“He further went on to clarify that he is a modern medicine doctor and intends to practice the same system in future as well but wants all systems of medicine should complement each other so as to benefit the whole mankind,” said DMA

The DMA has pointed out that the questions being raised by IMA regarding the nature of Coronil or on false claims of WHO certification are to be answered by the Drug Controller and Patanjali Research Institute.

“The IMA has fabricated the facts to make a sensational case against the health minister only to achieve cheap publicity abusing a sincere, dedicated and honest member of IMA who has brought laurels to the whole medical community by occupying the position of the Union Minister of Health by his sheer hard work,” said DMA.

In response to the DMA statement, IMA also issued a press release.

The IMA stated that it has expressed the ethical view of professional breach of code of ethics as it will make scores of citizens go culpable by the unscientific claim of the Patanjali corporate on the efficacy of Coronil as a cure for corona.

“It is appropriate to explain and make it known to the citizen by the health minister, he is not endorsing the trade of Coronil as curative medicine and not party to the false claim on the certification of WHO and Drug Controller of India on the efficacy of the drug,” said IMA.

Apart from the professional propriety issue, IMA has no comments on our  Health minister and IMA HQ stands by our view. IMA HQ also acknowledges the services of the Health Minister to this country and hope and wish he will ensure purity of profession and withdraw the mixopathy notification of CCIM," said the IMA in the release.

“IMA reiterate we respect , acknowledge and appreciate all systems of Medicine and we only fight against Mixopathy and adulteration of the system,” said the national doctors’ body.