SC asks Centre for Action Against the Usage of Remdesivir and Favipiravir as a COVID Medicine

The Supreme Court on Thursday notified the Centre to forbid specific drugs namely - Remdesivir and Favipiravir - to promote their product as a cure for COVID-19.

The trial was carried out by the bench including the Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, A S Bopanna and V Subramaniam issued the notice after listening to the facts presented by the petitioner Advocate M L Sharma.

The appellant argued that no health organisation has announced the said medications as an established successful cure for the disease and the claims made by the drug manufacturing companies are vague and is a misinterpretation. He stated it as medicines that are allowed during emergencies. 

The court additionally considered a World Health Organization report, showing that Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon therapies seemed to have practically zero impact in the treatment of Covid-19.

At the same time the drug firm FDC Ltd. announced the launch of stronger doses of their medicine Favipiravir in India on Friday. The company official G M Mayank Tikkha, represents the medicine to be a better version of the previous medicine which will take down the number of doses and the cost at the same time. 

The solicitor looked for enrollment of an FIR by the CBI against ten Indian drug firms for producing and selling these two medications purportedly without legitimate licenses.