Parliament Question: Death due to Ayurvedic Medicines

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3671 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13th MARCH 2026 Death due to Ayurvedic Medicines 3671. Shri Khalilur Rahaman: Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state: (a) the total number of deaths reported due to consumption of non-standard, non-tested Ayurvedic medicines during the last five years, State/UT-wise; (b) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government against agencies supplying nonstandard AYUSH drugs; (c) the details of the testing standards in place to ensure a check on such drugs; and (d) the details of action taken by the Government to ensure that non tested/spurious/nonstandard Ayurvedic drugs are not be supplied by such agencies? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) As per the information received from States/UTs Governments, no death has been reported due to consumption of non-standard, non-tested Ayurvedic medicines during the last five years. (b) and (d) As prescribed in Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules made thereunder, enforcement of the legal provisions pertaining to Quality Control and issuance of drug license of Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs, is vested with the State Drug Controllers/ State Licensing Authorities appointed by the concerned State/ Union Territory Government. Under Chapter IVA of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, section 33EEB prohibits manufacturing for sale of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drugs, which are not in accordance with standards, prescribed in relation to that drug by Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H). Sections 33E, 33EE, and 33EEA of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 define misbranded, adulterated, and spurious ASU drugs, respectively.Further, Section 33EEC prohibits the manufacture of any misbranded, adulterated, or spurious ASU drugs. The penalties for manufacturing of misbranded or adulterated or spurious ASU drugs, or for manufacturing ASU drugs without a valid licence, are provided under Section 33-I of Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. Section 17, 17A and 17B of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 provides definition of misbranded, adulterated and spurious Homoeopathic drugs. Section 27 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 provides penalties for manufacturing of misbranded, adulterated and spurious Homoeopathic drugs or drugs manufactured, sold, or distributed without a valid licence. Drug Inspectors collect medicine samples regularly from manufacturing firms or sale shops within their jurisdiction and send them to Drug Testing Laboratory under Drug Control department for quality testing and if any sample is found to be ‘Not of Standard Quality’, appropriate action is initiated such as preventing the sale of the products from the market and appropriate legal actions as per Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules made thereunder. (c) Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), subordinate office under Ministry of Ayush lays down the formulary specifications and pharmacopoeial standards for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) drugs which serves as official compendia for ascertaining the quality (identity, purity and strength) of the ASU&H drugs. PCIM&H also acts as the Central Drugs Laboratory for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy for the purpose of testing or analysis of ASU&H Drugs. Rule 160 A to J of the Drugs Rules, 1945 provides the regulatory guidelines for approval of Drug Testing Laboratory for carrying out such tests of identity, purity, quality and strength of Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Unani drugs (ASSU) as may be required under the provisions of these rules, on behalf of licensee for manufacture of Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa- Rigpa and Unani drugs. As on date, 108 private laboratories are approved/licensed for manufacturers, and 34 State/UT Drug Testing Laboratories are engaged in testing legal samples and raw materials of ASSU drugs. *******