MAM
Parliamentary committee wants action against ads of prescription drugs
NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary Committee has recommended appropriate action against companies that advertise prescription drugs in news and the lay press.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, in its report on the Functioning of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, has recommended that a provision should also be incorporated in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to ban such practices and penalise offenders. The Committee would like to be informed of the action taken to implement these recommendations.
The Committee said that this can lead to self-medication by the patients which can turn out to be hazardous. Recent cases of lay press advertisements are those of Anti-depressant Deanxit (Lundbeck); Anti-epileptic agents Desval ER (Ranbaxy), Lametec DT (Cipla), CToin (USV); and Cholesterol lowering Coltro (USV)..
However, the Committee said advertisements should be issued whenever any drug is found to be sub-standard and referred to some states which had set up websites to impart this information.
Meanwhile, it suggested that the Ministry should use the technology used by the Registrar of Newspapers to prevent drugs with similar brand names.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
