HC bar on production by 28 pharmas upheld

The High Court yesterday upheld its earlier order directing the government to stop the production and sales of antibiotics, including penicillin, steroids and anti-cancer drugs by 28 companies. On February 27, the same HC bench of Justices Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Md Ataur Rahman Khan had told the government to stop the production and marketing of substandard medicines by the companies within 72 hours as the drugs were injurious to health.
The bench also asked the government to explain in four weeks why its inaction to stop the production and marketing of the drugs should not be declared illegal.
The government was also ordered to form a five-member expert committee within 15 days to monitor whether the companies were following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines on Good Manufactory Practice (GMP).
The GMP ensures that medicinal products are consistently produced and controlled as per the quality standards appropriate to their intended use and as required by the product specification.
The court further said the expert committee should comprise a WHO representative, a person from an earlier 16-member expert committee formed by the government, a professor of  Dhaka University’s pharmacy department and a member each from the health ministry and drug administration. If the committee finds that any of the companies follows the GMP, then the government would allow the company to carry out their production and sales, the court said.
The HC bench kept the matter as a mandamus petition. The 28 companies are: Amico Pharma, Aztec Pharmaceuticals, Bengal Techno Pharma Ltd, Benham Pharmaceuticals, Central Pharmaceuticals, Descent Pharma, Dr. Tims Pharmaceuticals, Globex Pharmaceuticals, Greenland Pharmaceuticals, Inova Pharmaceuticals, Max Drugs Ltd, Medi Mate Laboratories, Modern Pharmaceuticals, Mystic Pharmaceuticals, National Laboratories, Organic Health Care Ltd, Wester Pharma, Premier Pharmaceuticals, Prime Pharmaceuticals, Seema Pharmaceuticals, White Horse Pharmaceuticals, Momtaz Pharmaceuticals, Unique Pharmaceuticals, United Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, FNF Pharmaceuticals and Techo Drugs Ltd's Units 1,2 and 3.

 

HC bar on production by 28 pharmas upheld

The High Court yesterday upheld its earlier order directing the government to stop the production and sales of antibiotics, including penicillin, steroids and anti-cancer drugs by 28 companies. On February 27, the same HC bench of Justices Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Md Ataur Rahman Khan had told the government to stop the production and marketing of substandard medicines by the companies within 72 hours as the drugs were injurious to health. The bench also asked the government to explain in four weeks why its inaction to stop the production and marketing of the drugs should not be declared illegal. The government was also ordered to form a five-member expert committee within 15 days to monitor whether the companies were following the World Health Organizations (WHO) guidelines on Good Manufactory Practice (GMP). The GMP ensures that medicinal products are consistently produced and controlled as per the quality standards appropriate to their intended use and as required by the product specification. The court further said the expert committee should comprise a WHO representative, a person from an earlier 16-member expert committee formed by the government, a professor of Dhaka Universitys pharmacy department and a member each from the health ministry and drug administration. If the committee finds that any of the companies follows the GMP, then the government would allow the company to carry out their production and sales, the court said. The HC bench kept the matter as a mandamus petition. The 28 companies are: Amico Pharma, Aztec Pharmaceuticals, Bengal Techno Pharma Ltd, Benham Pharmaceuticals, Central Pharmaceuticals, Descent Pharma, Dr. Tims Pharmaceuticals, Globex Pharmaceuticals, Greenland Pharmaceuticals, Inova Pharmaceuticals, Max Drugs Ltd, Medi Mate Laboratories, Modern Pharmaceuticals, Mystic Pharmaceuticals, National Laboratories, Organic Health Care Ltd, Wester Pharma, Premier Pharmaceuticals, Prime Pharmaceuticals, Seema Pharmaceuticals, White Horse Pharmaceuticals, Momtaz Pharmaceuticals, Unique Pharmaceuticals, United Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, FNF Pharmaceuticals and Techo Drugs Ltds Units 1,2 and 3.