Supreme Court issues notice in plea alleging that Remdesivir and Favipiravir are being used for COVID-19 treatment sans approval

The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Union of India in a plea alleging that two medicines - Remdesivir and Favipiravir - are being used for treatment of COVID-19 without approval..Petitioner in-person Advocate ML Sharma informed the Bench of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian that as per the World Health Organization (WHO) report of October 15, these medicines are not designated officially as medicines for the Coronavirus.The Bench discussed the matter briefly among themselves before issuing notice. .It further clarified that notice is being issued in the matter only to make the government aware of it..Remdesivir and Favipiravir are antiviral drugs and their efficacy in treating COVID-19 patients has been a matter of debate among medical experts.On September 16, the Supreme Court had referred to the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2018 and said these medicines have been permitted by the government for treatment of novel Coronavirus patients..The plea by Sharma seeks registration of an FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against ten Indian pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and selling these two medicines for treating COVID-19 patients allegedly without valid licences..The petitioner has sought prosecution of the Indian companies for offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy, besides offences under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.The PIL states that these medicines have not been certified as treatment for COVID-19 till date by any country."They are under trial and no country, including India, has issued licence to manufacture and sell them in the country.".The plea avers that more than 300 doctors have died in hospitals where these two medicines have been supplied and it amounted to "exploitation of public" due to the fear of death.