Ramdev crossed red line by offering Covid cure, made mockery of modern medicine: IMA president

Medical body's first comment: With his claims of offering a cure for COVID-19 and at the same time making contentious comments on modern medicine, especially Allopathy by calling it a "stupid and bankrupt science", Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Dr R V Asokan said on Monday.

This is IMA’s first comment since the Supreme Court came down heavily on Ramdev and his multibillion-dollar Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) conglomerate Patanjali Ayurved last month over a case of misleading ads. It comes a day before the apex court is scheduled to hear the matter next.

The SC is hearing IMA's 2022 plea alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine. The court had asked Ramdev, his aide Acharya Balakrishnan and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd last month to issue a public apology for not following its orders on misleading ads.

The IMA President also expressed concern that it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court criticised IMA and also the practices of private doctors. The "vague and generalised statements", he added, have demoralised private doctors.

“It is our sincere belief they need to look at what was the material before them. They perhaps did not consider that this was not the issue that was before them in the court." "You can say anything but still a majority of doctors are conscientious... practicing according to ethics and principles. It does not behove the Supreme Court to take a broadside against the medical profession of the country which after all sacrificed so many lives for the Covid war," he added.

(With PTI inputs )