The Supreme Court on Friday (20th February) served notices to Union Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the Central government and Drug Controller of India for the controversial decision to close down three public sector units manufacturing many life-saving vaccines. While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) the SC agreed to a scrutiny of the legality and prudence of the minister's decisions.

 

The Bench hearing the PIL comprises Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam. The PIL was filed by S P Shukla, former special secretary to family welfare department of the Union government along with many NGOs. In his petition he sought a stay on the decision to close down the PSUs and immediate resumption of production of vaccines.

 

Arguing for the petitioners senior advocate Colin Gonsalves raised the issue by citing the recent report of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, which castigated the minister for his imprudent action. The report also criticized Ramadoss's decision that allowed the private manufacturers to hike the price and also leading to a shortage of the vaccines.

 

On January 15 last year, the health ministry had cancelled the production licenses of the three vaccine manufacturing PSU -- Pasteur Institute of India (Coonor), BCG Vaccine Laboratory (Chennai) and Central Research Institute (Kasauli).