SC dismisses PIL on efficacy of Remdesivir and Favipiravir for Covid-19 treatment

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a 2021 PIL alleging use of drugs Remdesivir and Favipiravir for Covid-19 treatment, without approval, and seeking a CBI against against ten Indian pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and selling these two medicines allegedly without valid licenses.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said these issues cannot be examined by the court.

In October, 2021, the court had sought a response from the Centre on the plea by advocate M L Sharma alleging use of drugs Remdesivir and Favipiravir for Covid-19 treatment, without approval.

The court had then also taken into account a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, indicating that Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on in the treatment of Covid-19.

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The petitioner, relying upon the WHO report published on October 15, 2021, had submitted that several hundred trials have been carried out with Remdesivir and it was found that this medicine have little or no effect in the treatment of Covid-19.

Remdesivir and Favipiravir are antiviral drugs and their efficacy in the treatment of Covid-19 patients is still under debate among medical experts, his plea claimed.

According to the WHO report, “Interim results from the Solidarity Therapeutics Trial, coordinated by the WHO, indicate that remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on 28-day mortality or the in-hospital course of Covid-19 among hospitalised patients," the petitioner had said.

Sharma also said that nowhere these medicines have been officially termed as successful in the cure of Covid-19 disease.

The WHO report said that the study was carried out in more than 30 countries, looked at the effects of these treatments on overall mortality, initiation of ventilation, and duration of hospital stay in hospitalized patients.

The court, however, had earlier noted that there was an approval by the Centre on use of Remdesivir and Favipiravir, as medicines in the treatment of Covid-19.

The petitioner had then sought registration of an FIR by the CBI against ten Indian pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and selling these two medicines allegedly without valid licenses.