CHENNAI—Acting on a formal complaint submitted by the Humane World for Animals India, formerly called Humane Society International India, the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department has seized products worth approximately Rs. 2.82 lakhs [nearly $4000 USD] from Garuda Herbals. The seized products include hair oil products allegedly made using rabbit blood, which were marketed on social media with unsubstantiated claims about treating hair loss and baldness.
The complaint, which was addressed to the director of Drugs Control of Tamil Nadu, and subsequently forwarded to the assistant director of Drugs Control for the Erode Zone, led to an inspection at the manufacturer's premises in Tamil Nadu and the seizure of the products under relevant provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. According to available information, the products were being sold without valid drug or cosmetic manufacturing licenses, leading to their seizure and presentation before the Court.
Despite the company showcasing various certificates on social media and claiming regulatory approvals, its use of blood in hair oil—lacking ethical or scientific evidence—raised serious concerns around consumer safety, misleading advertising, and animal cruelty. This underscores the urgent need for stricter oversight and prompt regulatory action.
While commending the swift action taken by the Drugs Control Department of Tamil Nadu, Humane World for Animals India has also urged the public to be cautious of such unethical and unverified products while supporting cruelty-free alternatives.
Mishi Aggarwal, cruelty response specialist at Humane World for Animals India, said: “It is deeply disturbing to see animal blood being used for a hair product. We identified five such companies in our complaint, some of which were shared with us by conscious consumers. This is a concern for consumer safety, and it’s a case of animal cruelty being disguised as beauty. We commend the swift action of the Drugs Control Department and urge the authorities to crack down on such harmful practices.”