Ban on Misbranded ORS Still Flouted Across India; Doctor Who Exposed “Fake” ORSL Faces Legal Harassment, Warns Health Rights Forum

New Delhi – Seven months after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) imposed a complete ban on misbranded Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) products, a pan-Indian health rights body has raised a red flag over the continued stocking and sale of these potentially dangerous beverages, warning that they jeopardize the lives of children and vulnerable populations, especially during the ongoing summer heatwave.

The National Health Rights Forum (Rashtriya Swasthya Adhikar Morcha), an initiative of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), issued a public statement today alleging that despite clear orders from the FSSAI and the Delhi High Court, significant quantities of mislabelled “ORS-like” products remain in India’s supply chain under rebranded names.

The forum has also extended its solidarity with Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, who first exposed the scandal nearly a decade ago and is now facing defamation threats from pharmaceutical companies for her continued vigilance.

Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), hailed as a 20th-century medical breakthrough by the WHO and UNICEF, is a low-osmolarity formula proven to reduce diarrhoea-related mortality in children. However, the forum noted that for years, commercial beverage manufacturers have exploited the term "ORS" to market high-sugar electrolyte drinks—often sold in pharmacies—that worsen dehydration.

"In October 2025, the FSSAI banned the supply, stocking, and sale of all products labelled ORS or ORS-like variations unless they strictly comply with WHO norms. The Delhi High Court upheld this ban in two significant orders (Oct & Nov 2025)," the statement reads.

However, the forum alleges that manufacturers have circumvented the ruling by spurious rebranding.

The health body pointed to a specific case: the transition of the popular product "ORSL" to a new name "ERZL." Activists claim that the visual branding (colors, fonts, imagery) remains nearly identical, making it impossible for low-literacy consumers or panicked parents to differentiate between the banned medical product and the new beverage.

Furthermore, the forum has raised serious concerns about the use of Sucralose (an artificial sweetener) in these reformulated "daily hydration" drinks.

“Sucralose is not considered safe for routine use in children below two years of age,” the statement warns, citing medical concerns that it may worsen gut inflammation, disturb the microbiome, and potentially exacerbate diarrhoea in paediatric patients.

The NAPM Health Rights Forum has issued an urgent list of demands to the Central and State governments:

1. Permanent Ban: All non-therapeutic beverages using "ORS" terminology must be banned from pharmacies permanently.

2. Complete Rebranding: Modifying existing names (e.g., ‘ORSL’ to ‘ERZL’) is insufficient. New products must have no phonetic or visual resemblance to medical-grade ORS.

3. Legal Restriction: The term "ORS" should be legally restricted to products licensed as drugs by the CDSCO (Central Drug Standard Control Organisation).

4. Separation of Sales: Food products/energy drinks should not be co-stocked with medical products in pharmacies. They should be sold only in food markets.

5. Whistleblower Protection: Healthcare professionals exposing misleading consumers must be protected from corporate targeting.

6. Sucralose Caution: Until long-term paediatric research is concluded, sucralose should be avoided in products for managing dehydration in young children.

The forum strongly condemned the legal harassment faced by Dr. Sivaranjani, who received a defamation notice on March 16, 2026, regarding her social media posts criticizing the safety of these products.

"We salute Dr. Sivaranjani for her exemplary work... We strongly condemn the threats of defamation and harassment she is being subject to," the statement said, calling upon authorities to uphold her right to raise awareness without intimidation.