The Central
Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued an advisory to e-commerce
entities asking them not to sell Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani drugs to consumers without
them producing valid medical prescriptions from registered doctors in the
respective sectors.

According to
the regulator, the move is aimed at preventing unfair trade practices in the
emerging alternative medicinal fields.

“E-commerce
platforms have been advised that the sale or facilitating the sale of such
drugs shall be done only after a valid prescription of a registered Ayurveda, Siddha,
or Unani practitioner respectively is uploaded by the user on the platform.
Consuming such drugs without medical supervision can lead to severe health
complications,” the CCPA said in a statement.

As per the
advisory, the requirement will be applicable to drugs prescribed under Schedule
E (1) of the Druga and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Schedule E enlists poisonous
substances under the Ayurveda (including Siddha) and Unani systems of medicine.
Besides, the word ‘caution’ is to be printed in both English and Hindi
languages on the label of the container of such medicines.

Earlier in
February 2016, the Ministry of Ayush issued a directive, warning stakeholders
against purchasing such drugs online without medical consultation and directed that
the specified drugs should be administered to patients only under strict
medical supervision.

With mainstream medicines, such a restriction is already in place, under which
the e-pharmacies or e-commerce portals are not allowed to sell a certain
category of drugs without a valid prescription.

The demand
for traditional medicines surged during the post-Covid period after
systems like Ayurveda have been found effective, especially in their immunity-boosting role.