The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice in a PIL filed by a group of doctors and science communicators, challenging the Ayush Ministry’s Advisories and Guidelines which empowered the State Government in prescription of Arsenic Album 30 as homeopathic immune booster.
A Bench comprising Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Aniruddha Bose issued notice in the matter.
Senior Advocate Anand Grover, instructed by Advocate-on-Record Prashant Padmanabhan, appeared for the petitioner.
The petitioners sought for an appropriate direction prohibiting the Governments from administering the homeopathic medicine, arsenic album 30 or any other homeopathic medicines in any form, in mass manner to any section of the population, particularly the children and the elderly, over 65 years of age.
A recent Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Feasibility Study, done by researchers from Mumbai and USA, published in the journal Homeopathy in September 2021, Evaluating the Efficacy of Homeopathic Medicine Arsenicum Album 30C in the Prevention of COVID-19 in a Quarantined Population of close to 2300 persons DID NOT show benefits, usefulness or effectiveness of the said Homeopathic drug in preventing Covid-19, contends the Petition.
Petitioners have pointed out the position in countries like Australia, US, UK and France and annexed various peer reviewed scientific studies and research articles to buttress their point.
PRAYERS
a) For a declaration that the Guidelines, Advisories and Fact Sheets issued by the Respondents herein, Annexures P/1 to P/5, to permit the administration of homeopathic medicne Arsenic album 30 as a Covid 19 prophylactic are in violation of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India;
b) For an appropriate writ order or direction calling for the records of the case and after going through the same quash and set aside the order of the Respondent No. 3 dated 18.11.2021, Annexure P-7 hereto.
c) For an appropriate writ order or direction prohibiting the Respondents from in any manner administering the homeopathic medicine, arsenic album 30 or any other homeopathic medicines, in mass manner to any section of the population, particularly the children and the elderly, over 65 years of age;
d) Pending hearing and final disposal of this Petition for an order referring to the Covid Task Force set up under the order of this Court dated 06.05.2021 passed in SLP (C) Diary No.11622 of 2021 and opine on whether Arsenicum album 30 is safe and/or efficacious as an “immune booster” for Covid 19 and can be administered in en mass manner to children.
e) Pending hearing and final disposal of the Petition for direction restraining the Respondents from in any manner administering the homeopathic medicine, arsenicum album 30, for “boosting of immunity” or in a mass manner to any section of he population, particularly the children.