SC suggests meeting of stakeholders to discuss quality, shortage of antiretroviral drugs for HIV patients

Written By : Ruchika Sharma |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2024-07-12T14:10:29+05:30 | Updated On 16 July 2024 8:31 PM IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has made a suggestion of conducting a meeting between the Centre, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), and an organisation dedicated to AIDS patients to address concerns regarding the quality and shortage of antiretroviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV.

The bench overseeing the case, composed of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2022 by the NGO 'Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS'. The PIL alleged a shortage of antiretroviral drugs for HIV patient treatment.

Referring to the shortage of antiretroviral drugs in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, the bench noted the submissions of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, and senior advocate Anand Grover, representing the petitioner NGO, and said "dust has now settled" and there were enough medicines available.

"Quality of drugs is a major issue. We would like to discuss the issue with them (Centre and NACO)," Grover said and acknowledged that there was no shortage of medicines.

"We suggest that the meeting be held at senior level within two weeks. Thereafter, we will permit suggestions to be placed on record to ensure all concerns are taken care of," the CJI said.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) involves treatment of people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using anti-HIV drugs.

According to PTI, the plea has contended that non-availability of drugs at the AntiRetroViral Therapy Centres of the National AIDS Control Organisation hampers treatment of those living with HIV/AIDS.

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supreme courtNational AIDS Control OrganisationAIDSantiretroviral drugsHIV

Source : with inputs

Ruchika Sharma

Ruchika Sharma joined Medical Dialogue as an Correspondent for the Business Section in 2019. She covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She has completed her B.Com from Delhi University and then pursued postgraduation in M.Com. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751