FRIDAY, May 9, (News Locale) - The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is in a soup after it was revealed that the medical body has agreed to endorse two commercial products. PepsiCo's Tropicana juice and Quaker Oats have been given a stamp of approval by the IMA making it the first instance of any Pepsi product being endorsed by a country's premier medical organization. 

IMA Secretary General SN Mishra confirmed that the organization has indeed struck a three year deal with Pepsi that will see both the products get IMA's approval seal in return for the company paying Rs 50 lakh. Mishra pointed out the advantage of such deal stating that the cost of any awareness programs held by IMA for oat meal or health juices will borne by Pepsi.

However the IMA has come under strong criticism from both the Union Health Ministry as well as other health organizations. Sunita Narain, who is the director of the Centre for Science and Environment, slammed the endorsement and questioned the organization's ethical approach.

Union health minister A Ramadoss too expressed his displeasure over the deal saying that there are many serious health problems faced by the country and the IMA should concentrate on helping the ministry fight against diseases such as TB and malaria instead of signing endorsement deals.

This is not the first time that the IMA has given its seal of approval to commercial products. IMA's biggest endorsement deal to date was with Eureka Forbes for which the organization received Rs 3 crores. The IMA has also signed deals with other products such as Dettol soap and Pampers diapers.