Hyderabad paediatrician who pushed ORS labelling reforms served legal notice by pharma firms

Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, a Hyderabad-based paediatrician whose eight-year battle led to a key regulatory shift on ORS labelling, is now facing legal trouble after pharma majors issued a notice accusing her of making false, misleading, disparaging and defamatory remarks about their products.

The development comes after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in an order issued in October 2025, stated that no food brand may use the term ‘Oral Rehydration Salts’ or ‘ORS’ unless the formulation strictly adheres to standards recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).