10 months ago
Paediatrician Criticizes FSSAI Inaction on ORS Ban Post-Delhi HC Order
A doctor is upset because a food safety group in India, called FSSAI, isn't doing anything about drinks that incorrectly use the name 'ORS'.
ORS is a special drink with a specific recipe that helps sick people when they lose too much water.
Some companies make drinks that look like ORS but have too much sugar and aren't made correctly, which could be bad for sick kids.
The FSSAI had tried to stop these companies from using the ORS name.
Then, a company called JNTL went to court.
The court told JNTL to talk to the FSSAI about it, and the FSSAI was supposed to decide quickly.
But the FSSAI hasn't said anything, and the court's deadline has passed.
The doctor says the FSSAI is just being silent and letting companies sell these drinks.
She believes only the real, doctor-approved ORS should be allowed to use the name 'ORS' to keep everyone safe and healthy.
Paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjini Santosh criticizes the FSSAI for its silence and inaction following a Delhi High Court order related to non-compliant ORS formulations.
The Delhi High Court had given JNTL Consumer Health one week to submit its representation to the FSSAI, a deadline which has now passed without a decision.
Dr. Santosh alleges that the FSSAI is neither enforcing the ban nor clarifying the status of JNTL's representation, allowing companies to sell existing stock.
The FSSAI had previously advised food and beverage companies to remove 'ORS' from labels, but the Delhi High Court granted an interim stay for registered trademarks.
Public health advocates, led by Dr. Santosh, insist that only WHO-recommended ORS formulations should be permitted, and the term 'ORS' should not be used on misleading products.
- Who
- Dr. Sivaranjini Santosh (Paediatrician), FSSAI, Delhi High Court, JNTL Consumer Health (India)
- What
- Criticism of the FSSAI's lack of response and action regarding the ban on non-compliant ORS formulations after the Delhi High Court granted an interim stay on the FSSAI's order.
- Where
- India (specifically regarding FSSAI regulations and Delhi High Court rulings)
- When
- Following the Delhi High Court's directive for JNTL Consumer Health to submit its representation to the FSSAI within a week, which has now expired.
- Why
- Dr. Santosh expresses disappointment because the FSSAI has not made a decision or clarified the situation regarding the ban, allowing companies to continue selling existing stock of potentially non-compliant products.
Public Health Advocates and Paediatricians
Beverage Manufacturers and FSSAI
Enforcement of ORS Ban
Public Health Advocates and Paediatricians
Dr. Sivaranjini Santosh and public health advocates are disappointed by the FSSAI's silence and inaction following the Delhi High Court's directive, believing the regulator should enforce the ban on non-compliant ORS formulations and prevent the sale of existing stock.
Beverage Manufacturers and FSSAI
The FSSAI has remained silent and unresponsive to queries regarding JNTL Consumer Health's representation and subsequent decisions, while the Delhi High Court granted an interim stay on the ban for registered trademarks using 'ORS' as a prefix or suffix.
Product Labeling and Consumer Safety
Public Health Advocates and Paediatricians
Advocates insist that only WHO-recommended ORS formulations should be available and that no other product, especially those sold in supermarkets, should carry the term 'ORS' on their labels to avoid misleading consumers and protect child health.
Beverage Manufacturers and FSSAI
Manufacturers like JNTL Consumer Health have sought to use 'ORS' in their branding, leading to legal challenges and interim stays that allow them to continue selling existing products with 'ORS' branding.
Key facts
- Key Figure
- Dr. Sivaranjini Santosh, Paediatrician
- Regulator Criticized
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Court Involved
- Delhi High Court
- Company Challenging Ban
- JNTL Consumer Health (India)
- FSSAI's October 14 Advisory
- Directed removal of 'ORS' from product names, labels, and trademarks.
- Delhi High Court's Interim Stay
- Granted to JNTL Consumer Health for registered trademarks using 'ORS' prefix/suffix for electrolyte and beverage products.
- Advocate's Demand
- Only WHO-recommended ORS formulations should be sold, and the term 'ORS' should not be used on non-compliant products.
Quotes
Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh
Hyderabad-based paediatrician
“If JNTL has submitted it, FSSAI should have given its decision by now — either to implement the October 15 order or otherwise. And if JNTL hasn’t filed any representation, the FSSAI should still go ahead and enforce the order. But neither is happening. They’re just sitting quiet — silent, silent, silent allowing companies to freely dispose of their existing stock.”
freepressjournal.in
“The FSSAI is not saying anything that’s the whole point. The Delhi High Court had directed JNTL to submit its representation to the FSSAI within a week, and the FSSAI was supposed to take a decision. But the authority has remained completely silent. It hasn’t even clarified whether JNTL has submitted the representation or not.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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