NEW DELHI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- India's Supreme Court Monday overturned a government ban on a popular pain killer and two other drugs.
The three medicines, including popular pain killer Saridon, were among 328 drugs banned by the Indian Health Ministry last week, stating there's "no therapeutic justification" for the ingredients and that those could pose risk to people.
"The top court has now permitted the sale of these three drugs in the wake of a petition filed by some drug manufacturers against the government's sudden action. However, the ban on the remaining drugs continue as of now," a lawyer said.
The court has also sought the response of the Indian government on the petition challenging the ban on the manufacture of the 328 drugs for sale and distribution, the lawyer added.
The Health Ministry had enacted the ban last week.
"The Drugs Technical Advisory Board recommended, amongst other things, that there is no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in 328 FDCs (fixed-dose combinations) and that these FDCs may involve risk to human beings," the ministry said in its order.
"The board recommended that it's necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of these FDCs under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in the larger public interest," it added.
