The advertising campaign and packaging of the HUL-owned hygiene product, claiming an immunity boosting effect, are misleading and false as a topical application product.
NEW DELHI : The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) V G Somani has issued a show cause notice to Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) over advertisement of Lifebuoy Immunity Boosting Hand Sanitizer, that claims to boost immunity, thereby protecting people from covid contagion.
The advertising campaign and packaging of the HUL-owned hygiene product, claiming an immunity boosting effect, are misleading and false as a topical application product, the notice said.
Mint has reviewed the copy of the notice. HUL has been directed to submit a reply within seven day from the date of receipt of the notice.
Such false claims trigger misinformation during the covid-19 pandemic which is not good in public interest, the drug regulator noted.
“Lifebuoy Immunity Boosting Hand Sanitizer contains only 1% Niacinamide. A minuscule level of Niacinamide is absorbed through skin, which does not trigger or boost immunological response by human body and is insufficient to make any Improvement or boost immunological response in human body to fight viruses like Corona or even germs,” the DCGI said.
“Hindustan Unilever Limited has craftily put out a post claiming that Lifebuoy range of products kill inactive coronavirus, which may result into misleading and incorrect assumptions. Publication of such advertisement has the potential to mislead the general public which may be against the public interest in the present prevailing situation,” it added.
As per section Section 3(b). of Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, immunity is a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products, the notice reads, adding that HUL’s claim attract the given definition.
The DCGI has asked the FMCG giant why it shouldn’t initiate an appropriate action against it for such violation in accordance with law.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has also sent the notice copy to all the State UT Licensing Authorities and all its Zonal and Sub Zonal Offices for appropriate action.
Earlier in June 2020 also, DCGI had issued a notice to HUL for a similar violation. The FMCG giant claimed that its Lifebuoy Virus Fighter soap had anti-covid therapeutic properties while being a cosmetic. Even though the product in question was licensed as a cosmetic under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, it was being advertised as a drug which is a violation of the law, the DCGI said.
