SC refuses to entertain plea against HCQ, AZM use

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, April 30

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday refused to pass any orders on a petition by a US-based NRI doctor against the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZM) to treat serious Covid patients in India.

“Can a court of law say use this type of treatment or that kind of treatment? Are we experts?” a Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana told petitioner Dr Kunal Saha during the hearing via videoconferencing.

The petition can be taken as a representation to the Indian Council of Medical Research, which can examine it, the Bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

Saha said patients were dying due to side effect of these drugs. There should be informed consent from them before they were administered these drugs, he said.

Saha had, on April 16, moved the SC against the use of HCQ and AZM to treat serious Covid cases in India.

He had claimed that their use was based primarily on “anecdotal evidence” and not on “direct scientific data.”

The use of these drugs for the treatment of Covid-19 was “potentially life threatening”, contended Saha, who is the president of the People for Better Treatment.

He had urged the top court to direct the Ministry of Health to make necessary changes in the present guidelines for the treatment of seriously ill Covid patients, which is based on the use of a combination of HCQ and AZM.

He sought to draw court’s attention to an “extraordinary” joint bulletin issued by the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and Heart Rhythm Society in the US on April 8, which asked doctors to be cautious during the use of HCQ and AZM in Covid cases.