Finshots Daily When ORS didn’t mean ORS
Nov 25, 2025
Discover the tangled journey of sugary drinks masquerading as Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) and how they misled parents. Explore the World Health Organization's strict definition of true ORS and the dangers of dehydration among children. Learn about Dr. Shivaranjani's tireless campaign to hold these faux ORS products accountable. Unravel the complex regulatory battles between food and drug classifications, culminating in a landmark 2025 order that prioritizes public health and removes misleading products from shelves.
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Parents Mistakenly Bought Sugary ORS Lookalikes
- A parent rushing to a pharmacy for ORS often got sugar-filled lookalikes instead of medical ORS.
- Finshots Daily Host recounts how these imposters sat beside real ORS and misled many families.
Prefer WHO-Standard ORS For Dehydration
- Read labels carefully and prefer WHO-recommended ORS formulations for dehydration in children.
- Avoid flavored sugary drinks that claim ORS-like benefits during diarrheal dehydration.
Doctor Led An Eight-Year Campaign
- Dr. Shivaranjani Santosh noticed children being given sugary ORS imposters and began campaigning around 2016–17.
- She filed RTIs, wrote to ministries, raised public awareness, and approached courts over several years.