After amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules in 2018 to include a rule to control inappropriate advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani medicines, the central government appears to be backtracking when challenged in court by several pharma companies that make Ayurvedic formulations and their associations. The attorney appointed by the government told the Delhi High Court that the case would be sent to the Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board (ASUDTAB) for "reconsideration."

On December 24, 2018, the government notified an amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, to include Rule 170, especially for prohibiting improper promotions of ASUDTAB drugs. This was challenged in the Delhi High Court in January 2019, and the court issued an interim stay that lasted four years.

Dr. KV Babu, an ophthalmologist and RTI activist, brought attention to the answer given by the Ayush minister of state, Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, in the Lok Sabha in June 2019 when asked about the advertisement of the Ayush drug.

In his answer, Mr. Naik reviled the number of incidents of misleading advertisements throughout the years. According to the minister, the ministry has inked a MoU with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to monitor Ayush-related commercials for two years and bring infractions to the attention of state regulatory authorities for appropriate action.

He revealed that, as a result of ASCI monitoring, 732 cases of misleading AYUSH advertisements were reported in 2017–18 and 497 cases in 2018–19, respectively. He also noted that 456 cases of violations of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, were reported in 2017–18, and 203 cases in 2018–19 escalated to state regulators for necessary action.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/govt-to-reconsider-action-on-ayush-ads/100606831 )