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Hyderabad: City-based paediatrician Sivaranjani Santosh, who fought for eight years against the misleading ORS labelling, is now facing notices from pharma companies for allegedly making defamatory statements to gain social media followers.

Dr Santosh received a cease and desist notice on March 16, stating that her claims that the companies are promoting unsafe energy drinks as oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are false.

The notice says the products by the pharma companies are “backed by scientific evidence and regulatory approvals and in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSAI), 2006,” and Dr Santosh “dragged” them to the courts to “gain more followers.”

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The notice denies claims that ORSL products continue to be sold or have been rebranded as “ERZL.” The distributors have been instructed to return or relabel older stock in compliance with FSSAI directions.

The notice demanded that Dr Santosh immediately remove her defamatory content, refrain from making further statements against the companies or their products and avoid unauthorised use of their trademarks.

The doctor lashed out at Jhonson and Jhonson Kenvue, stating her claims were consistent with FSSAI orders issued on October 14 and 15, 2025. “How dare you send me a notice saying that you dragged me to the court? For maligning the names of ORS and EREZL for my own commercial interests?” she posted a video on her Instagram profile.

She also argued that presenting ERZL as the new version of ORSL could mislead parents.

In October last year, FSSAI directed all food business operators to immediately stop using the word “ORS” in their labelling and advertisements, calling such practices misleading to consumers.

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