Drug manufacturer fined for selling 'wonder drugs'
The drug manufacturer had assured a woman she would lose weight within a few days of taking its medicines.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Denouncing its practice of issuing misleading advertisements about "wonder drugs", the Delhi Consumer Commission has asked a drug manufacturer to pay Rs 4,200 to a woman who was assured she would lose weight within a few days of taking its medicines.
"Such advertisements are entirely misleading and amount to unfair trade practice," the commission, presided over by Justice J D Kapoor said. It observed that no company or organisation could be allowed to deceive consumers with such false claims.
Taking exception to the advertisements, it said: "If wonder drugs were available in the market, medical professionals will have no relevance."
The commission's observations came while hearing an appeal by the New Science Welfare Trust (NSWT), an organisation based at Bhajanpura here which had challenged a Consumer Forum's order asking it to pay Rs 4,200 to Kaushalya Rani Aggarwal.
Aggarwal, a resident of northeast Delhi, had filed a consumer case against NSWT in 2000, alleging the drug maker was indulging in "unfair trade practices" by selling medicines on the pretext that they helped one to lose weight.
She alleged that despite its promise to pay back Rs 1,100, the cost of the medicine, if it did not work, NSWT refused to refund her money after she did not lose any weight.
Refraining from granting any relief to the Trust, it noted that NSWT's advertisement was "misleading" and amounted to an unfair trade practice.
"Such advertisements are entirely misleading and amount to unfair trade practice," the commission, presided over by Justice J D Kapoor said. It observed that no company or organisation could be allowed to deceive consumers with such false claims.
Taking exception to the advertisements, it said: "If wonder drugs were available in the market, medical professionals will have no relevance."
The commission's observations came while hearing an appeal by the New Science Welfare Trust (NSWT), an organisation based at Bhajanpura here which had challenged a Consumer Forum's order asking it to pay Rs 4,200 to Kaushalya Rani Aggarwal.
Aggarwal, a resident of northeast Delhi, had filed a consumer case against NSWT in 2000, alleging the drug maker was indulging in "unfair trade practices" by selling medicines on the pretext that they helped one to lose weight.
She alleged that despite its promise to pay back Rs 1,100, the cost of the medicine, if it did not work, NSWT refused to refund her money after she did not lose any weight.
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Aggrieved by the Forum's order, NSWT approached the Commission, which refused to entertain its appeal, saying: "The appellant (NSWT) failed to cite any instance when its customer, who had purchased its medicine, had lost weight and fat either prior to or after its purchase." Refraining from granting any relief to the Trust, it noted that NSWT's advertisement was "misleading" and amounted to an unfair trade practice.
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