HC refuses to lift FSSAI ban on ORS tag on pdts not meeting medical norms
This story was originally published at 19:55 IST on 31 October 2025
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NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court Friday said that it will not interfere with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's directive to ban companies from using the term 'ORS' in product names or branding unless they meet the standard medical formulation. "This embargo will continue. I am not doing away with the embargo, considering the public health concerns," said Justice Sachin Datta, hearing Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.'s challenge against the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India directive.
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories may submit a representation before the food safety authority regarding its proposal to rename the product and the selling of its existing product in the market, the court said. It will set a timeline for the food safety body to consider and decide on Dr. Reddy's plea, the court said. It will not pass any order allowing the sale or manufacture of the products, the court added. "Public health considerations are paramount. We can't pass any orders against it," Justice Datta said.
The high court was hearing a petition filed by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories challenging the directive from the food safety body, which stated that using 'ORS', even with prefixes or suffixes in trademarked names, was misleading and violated the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, unless the product adhered to the World Health Organization's formulation. Essentially, the ban restricted the use of the label 'ORS' for Dr. Reddy's oral rehydration solution brand Rebalanz VITORS. Dr. Reddy's product is a ready-to-serve fruit beverage, with essential electrolytes and minerals to help replenish essential salt levels in the body.
The petitioner argued that abrupt regulatory move would cause a "huge monetary loss" to the pharmaceutical company, noting that large quantities of the product had already been manufactured, distributed, or were still in production. The company had reportedly halted the production of fresh batches and was prepared to rename the product. However, the product, which was already on the market, may be allowed to be sold with the Rebalanz VITORS mark, the petitioner said. On Friday, shares of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. closed 0.4% lower at INR 1,197.60 on the National Stock Exchange. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Subhojit Sarkar
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