New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe and systemic reforms in drug safety mechanisms following the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly due to toxic cough syrups.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K. Vinod Chandran noted submissions from PIL petitioner and lawyer Vishal Tiwari, who emphasised the urgent need for a hearing. The bench scheduled the matter for October 10.
The PIL seeks a probe under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge to ensure fairness and uniformity. It also urges the constitution of a National Judicial Commission or Expert Committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
The plea requests that all pending FIRs and investigations related to the deaths of children caused by toxic cough syrups across states be transferred to the CBI. It contends that fragmented state-level investigations have led to lapses in accountability, allowing hazardous formulations to reach the market repeatedly.
The petition comes in the wake of reports from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where several children allegedly died after consuming a particular type of cough syrup.
It also seeks directions to the central government to identify regulatory failures that allowed substandard medicines to enter the market. Furthermore, the plea urges the court to mandate toxicological testing of all suspect products in NABL-accredited laboratories before any further sale or export.
The Supreme Court’s intervention is seen as a crucial step toward ensuring uniform accountability and strengthening drug safety mechanisms nationwide.
With PTI inputs