Ayush Ministry unveils central portal to monitor misleading ads

New Delhi: In a step towards strengthening consumer protection and regulatory oversight in traditional medicine, Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav on Friday launched a portal for real-time monitoring and coordinated action on misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions.

The AyushSuraksha Portal represents a significant advancement in pharmacovigilance and regulatory convergence within the Ayush ecosystem, the minister said.

Jadhav said, "With the launch of the AyushSuraksha Portal, we are empowering citizens and professionals alike to become active participants in safeguarding the integrity of Ayush systems." "This platform will serve as a vigilant watchtower against misleading advertisements and ensure that only safe and credible products reach people," he said.

The portal has been developed in accordance with the Supreme Court's July 30, 2024, order.

The top court had emphasised the need for a centralised dashboard for monitoring and publishing data related to misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions, an Ayush ministry statement said.

It said the court had directed the Union government to ensure the setting up of a system to allow state licensing authorities to report complaints, share inter-state referrals, and update the status of actions taken.

The Ministry of Ayush has met the directive well before the court's deadline of June 2025, it stated.

By integrating data from state licensing authorities, national pharmacovigilance centres, and key regulatory stakeholders, the AyushSuraksha Portal facilitates real-time monitoring, systematic analysis, and coordinated action on misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions.

"We have made it accessible to the public so that any citizen can directly report misleading ads or ADRs via the portal," said Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, the Secretary of the Ayush Ministry.

Developed with technical support from the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and aligned with the National Pharmacovigilance Programme, the portal allows consumers, healthcare professionals, and regulatory authorities to report and monitor misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions through a seamless digital process.

A pre-launch training session for nodal officers from these organisations was conducted on April 9 under the chairmanship of Dr. Kousthubha Upadhyaya, Adviser, Ministry of Ayush.

The Ayush Suraksha Portal reflects the ministry's unwavering commitment to responsible governance, evidence-based practices, and the safety of millions of citizens who trust and rely on India's traditional systems of medicine, the statement said.