A Hyderabad-based paediatrician, Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, has been served a legal notice by pharmaceutical companies after she raised concerns on social media about the marketing of certain oral rehydration products. The companies have alleged that her statements are misleading, defamatory, and damaging to their reputation. The development has sparked widespread support from medical associations, which argue that doctors must be free to voice evidence-based concerns in the interest of public health.
Dr. Santosh has been vocal about the potential risks posed by sugar-laden beverages being marketed in ways that could confuse caregivers into believing they are equivalent to Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS). Her advocacy coincided with a regulatory shift by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which restricted the use of the term “ORS” on product labels unless they…
