SC gives govt 9 months to bring in new TB regimen

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to put patients suffering from tuberculosis on a daily regimen instead of the thrice-a-week dosing within nine months

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A three-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice J S Khehar, wondered why the government insisted on the thrice-weekly regimen, despite knowing this would lead to death or a relapse.

“You only have to alter the proportion of the drug. You know that it is bad. Will you still continue with this? Will you provide the medicine that kills people,” the bench, also comprising Justices N V Ramana and D Y Chandrachud, asked Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, representing the health ministry.

Singh submitted it was difficult to prepone the deadline of October 2017 in view of the huge stocks worth over Rs 117 crore. The court said the previous thrice-a-week regimen would not continue under any circumstance beyond the set deadline.