Bengaluru: If an Ayush practitioner claims to diagnose dozens of health conditions by asking you to hold a metal probe for less than a minute, think twice.Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) has cracked down on the use of a magnetic resonance analyser used by several Ayush practitioners and allied health professionals to generate reports claiming to assess 43 health parameters in just 56 seconds. The department has written to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), seeking regulatory action against the device, its manufacturers and those using it for diagnosis.Ayush is an acronym of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, or alternative medicine systems.The move follows an inspection conducted on Aug 1 at an Ayush clinic in Bengaluru’s Manjunathnagar after the department received information. Officials found that patients were being asked to hold a probe — men in their left hand and women in their right — following which the machine generated reports on virtually every organ system, from the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs to bone density, thyroid function, heavy metals, allergies, obesity and even ADHD in children.The device, KEVA 4G Quantum Magnetic Resonance Analyser, was found to have been procured from Punjab-based Keva Kaipo Industries. FDA’s investigation found that it does not fall under any approved class of medical devices, has no approval or licence from Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), and lacks mandatory manufacturing licence details and other regulatory requirements. A notice has been issued to the clinic under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPMA) Act.In an FAQ, the company states that the device is only a guide for diagnosis and cannot cure disease. Yet, the accompanying brochure claims the analyser can produce 43 different reports.“An Ayush practitioner from Gadag was practising at a clinic in Bengaluru three days a week. He got an influencer to do a video and that’s how it came to our notice. We found he was charging Rs 100 to run the test. When our authorities visited the clinic, we found that it was a simple magnetic resonance device, much like a smartwatch or a ring,” a senior FDA official said.The official added that a Panchakarma specialist from the Ayush department has joined the investigation.TOI has accessed a report running over 100 pages claiming to assess health parameters and even emotional attributes like fear, acceptance and enlightenment. It also provides lifestyle advice with a caveat: “The results are for reference and not as a diagnostic conclusion.”Officials warned that relying on such reports could delay appropriate diagnosis and treatment. FDA has requested DCGI to investigate makers of similar devices and take action.
