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 The Parliamentary Panel on Health and Family Welfare has recommended that the Ayush vertical under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) should develop a uniform and standardised mechanism for handling complaints relating to misleading advertisements of Ayush products. It also recommended more stringent penal provisions for misleading advertisements.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, in its 174th report on Demands for Grants 2026-27 of the Ministry of Ayush, noted that complaints received through the Ayush Suraksha Portal relating to misleading advertisements are forwarded to the respective State Drug Licensing Authorities for necessary action.
It observed that such a mechanism may lead to inconsistent approaches in dealing with complaints across States, as the capacity, human resources, and enforcement priorities of State authorities vary considerably.
Further, the absence of a uniform timeline and monitoring framework for disposal of complaints may defeat the very purpose of the complaint reporting mechanism and could potentially discourage citizens from reporting such violations.
"The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Ayush vertical under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) should develop a uniform and standardised mechanism for handling complaints relating to misleading advertisements of Ayush products," said the Panel headed by Member of Parliament Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav.
It further recommended that clear timelines must be prescribed for action by State authorities, along with active monitoring and periodic review at the Central level, to ensure timely and effective enforcement of the scheme in addressing complaints.
The complaints have scaled up to a total of 11,425 and 12,750 during 2024-25 and 2025-26 (up to December 2025). The Panel, therefore, recommended more stringent penal provisions for misleading advertisements.
Despite the establishment of a nationwide pharmacovigilance network with multiple Intermediary and Peripheral Pharmacovigilance Centres, the number of reported Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) remained relatively low, which may indicate possible underreporting or limited awareness among practitioners and institutions.
The Panel also recommended that the Ministry consider making ADR reporting mandatory for Ayush practitioners and pharmacists and strengthen ADR reporting mechanisms through enhanced training of practitioners, increased awareness programmes and integration of pharmacovigilance reporting systems with healthcare institutions so as to ensure more comprehensive monitoring of drug safety.
During FY 2024-25, the Ministry has received a total of 692 suspected ADRs across the five systems of medicines, while in the first nine months of FY 2025-26 upto December, 2025, a total of 517 suspected events were reported. The highest numbers were reported in Ayurveda (243 suspected ADRs), followed by Unani (100), Siddha (86), Homoeopathy (87), and Sowa-Rigpa (1) during the nine months.
The Ministry of Ayush has informed the Panel that a total of 9,047complaints have been received through the Ayush Suraksha Portal which were forwarded to State Drug licensing authority for necessary action. It was further reported to the Panel that State/UT Licensing Authorities have issued a total 378 notices to the defaulters.
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