SC seeks Centre's reply on plea alleging no approval for Remdesivir, Favipiravir to treat COVID-19
TNN Bureau. Updated: 10/29/2020 1:37:25 PM
National
New Delhi, Oct 29: The Supreme Court Thursday sought response from the Centre on a plea alleging that two medicines Remdesivir and Favipiravir, are being used for the treatment of COVID-19 without approval.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde issued notice to the Centre on the plea and sought its response in four weeks.
Advocate M L Sharma petitioner in-person referred to the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, the World Health Organization (WHO) report of October 15 and said that nowhere these medicines are designated officially as medicines for coronavirus.
The bench said that it is only going to make central government aware of it and therefore issuing notice.
On September 16, the top court had said that there was an approval by the central government on use of Remdesivir and Favipiravir, as medicines to treat COVID-19.
The top court was hearing a plea seeking registration of an FIR by the CBI against ten Indian pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and selling these two medicines for treating COVID-19 patients allegedly without valid licences.
Remdesivir and Favipiravir are antiviral drugs and their efficacy in treating COVID-19 patients has been a matter of debate among medical experts.