Ramdev's misleading Coronil claims slammed by Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed yoga guru Baba Ramdev to remove statements claiming his product, Coronil, as a "cure" for COVID-19 and not merely an immunity booster. The court also ordered the removal of claims questioning the efficacy of allopathy in treating the disease.
This order, issued by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, mandates that the content must be taken down within three days. If Ramdev fails to comply, social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), will be required to remove the content themselves.
This ruling is part of a 2021 lawsuit filed by several doctors' associations against Ramdev, his associate Acharya Balkrishna, and Patanjali Ayurveda. The lawsuit alleges that Ramdev made unsubstantiated claims about Coronil's efficacy against COVID-19, which contradict the drug's official designation as an "immuno-booster."

The court's decision also includes an order for Ramdev to retract statements blaming allopathy doctors for the deaths of lakhs of people during the pandemic. The lawsuit, supported by multiple resident doctors' associations from institutions such as AIIMS Rishikesh, Patna, and Bhubaneswar, argues that these claims constitute a misinformation campaign aimed at boosting the sales of Coronil and other products.
Justice Bhambhani had reserved the order after hearing the parties involved in the lawsuit, which the court deemed non-frivolous and sufficiently substantiated for its institution. The doctors' associations have accused Ramdev of undermining public confidence in allopathic treatments and COVID-19 vaccines, describing the campaign as a marketing strategy rather than a genuine medical advisory.
The court's directive reinforces that Coronil should not be promoted as a cure for COVID-19 but rather as a safety measure or immunity booster.