India cracks down on traditional drugs advertisements

In a move directed against the producers of traditional medicine the Indian government has expanded the list of diseases for which drug companies will be prohibited from advertising. The amendment to the drug act bans advertising products for at least 20 new diseases—including AIDS, genetic disorders, liver diseases, and Parkinson's disease—that were not covered under previous guidelines framed in the mid-1950s.

Health ministry officials have defended the amendment as a move to safeguard the interests of consumers. “Instead of trying to reach consumers directly through advertisements, manufacturers of traditional remedies should go …