Section 2 — Definitions.

2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

(a) „advertisement‟ includes any notice, circular, label, wrapper or other document, and any 

announcement made orally or by any means of producing or transmitting light, sound or smoke; 

(b) „drug‟ includes— 

(i) a medicine for the internal or external use of human beings or animals; 

(ii) any substance intended to be used for or in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or 

prevention of disease in human beings or animals; 

(iii) any article, other than food, intended to affect or influence in any way the structure or 

any organic function of the body of human beings or animals; 

(iv) any article intended for use as a component of any medicine, substance or article, referred 

to in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii); 

(c) „magic remedy‟ includes a talisman, mantra, kavacha, and any other charm of any kind which 

is alleged to possess miraculous powers for or in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or 

prevention of any disease in human beings or animals or for affecting or influencing in any way the 

structure or any organic function of the body of human beings or animals; 

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[(cc) „registered medical practitioner‟ means any person,— 

(i) who holds a qualification granted by an authority specified in, or notified under        

section 3 of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916 (7 of 1916) specified in the Schedules to the 

Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956); or 

(ii) who is entitled to be registered as a medical practitioner under any law for the time being 

in force in any State to which this Act extends relating to the registration of medical practitioner;] 

(d) „taking any part in the publication of any advertisement‟ includes— 

(i) the printing of the advertisement, 

                                                           
1. This Act has been extended to Pondicherry by Reg. 7 of 1963, sec. 3 and Sch. I (w.e.f. 1-10-1963), and extended to the State of 

Sikkim, vide S.O. 949 (E), dated 20th October, 1988. 

2. 1st April, 1955, vide notification No. S.R.O. 511, dated 26th February, 1995, see Gazette of India, 1955, Part II,                       

s. 3. 

3. Ins. by Act 42 of 1963, s. 2 (w.e.f. 7-12-1963). 
 



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(ii) the publication of any advertisement outside the territories to which this Act extends by or 

at the instance of a person residing within the said territories; 
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