We can ban drugs approved by DCGI: Centre to Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: The Centre can ban even those drugs approved by the highest drug regulatory authority, the government maintained in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday in defence of its ban on several combination drugs last month, said a lawyer present at the proceedings.

The court, meanwhile, has extended by nearly two more weeks the stay on the ban of the brands using these combinations, said the lawyer, who is representing a large pharmaceutical firm in the hearings. Justice RS Endlaw asked Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, the government's counsel, what guided the Centre's decision to ban the drugs with approval from the Drug Controller General of India ( DCGI).

The central government reserved the right to ban these drugs in spite of DCGI’s approval as it was conducting a legislative exercise detached from the regulator's past decisions and approvals, Jain responded, according to the lawyer.