Writ seeks licences of 20 drug makers cancelled
A writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directives upon the government to cancel licenses of 20 drug manufacturing companies for producing substandard medicines. The petitioner also prayed to the HC to direct the government to stop production of antibiotics by 14 other drug companies for failing to maintaining required standard. The 20 pharmaceuticals are: Axim Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Avert Pharma Ltd, Bikalpo Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Dolphin Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Drugland Ltd, Globe Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd, Jalfa Laboratories Ltd of Sylhet, Kafma Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Medico Pharmaceuticals Ltd, National Drug Pharma Ltd, North Bengal Laboratories, Remo Chemicals (Pharma Division), Rid Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Skylab Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Spark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Star Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sunipun Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Today Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Tropical Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Universal Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
A HC bench, led by Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain, is likely to hear the petition today, Advocate Manzill Mushid, counsel for the petitioner, told The Independent yesterday. Rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed the petition yesterday morning saying that the licences of the 20 drug companies should be cancelled as they have failed to produce standard medicines. The right to life of citizens has been violated due to the manufacturing and marketing of substandard medicines, the petition said.
After filing the petition, Manzill Murshid told that a committee of medicine experts submitted recommendations before parliament in January this year to cancel the licences of these 20 companies for producing substandard medicines. Earlier, on April 21, health and family welfare ministry decided to revoke licenses of the 20 drug manufacturing companies for producing substandard medicines. The decision followed recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare ministry, ministry officials said. Health Minister Mohammed Nasim also ordered the drug administration authorities to take immediate actions to cancel their licences. According to health ministry officials, apart from revoking licences of the 20 pharmaceuticals, the ministry also decided to implement other suggestions of the standing committee that include prohibiting 14 companies from manufacturing antibiotics and 22 companies from producing antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups.
