Covid-19: PIL seeks state protocol for Ivermectin as prophylaxis; Bombay HC seeks Centre's reply

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the central government to file an affidavit in reply to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking inclusion of ivermectin along with vitamin D as part of a prophylactic regime in the Covid-19 protocol.
Sanjeev Kadam, the counsel for the petitioner Captain V G Sansare, said ivermectin’s use as a prophylaxis is already included by three states - Goa, Karnataka and Uttarakhand - and hence submitted that Maharashtra could too.
Kadam said the medicine is not a preventive but is believed to help reduce severity or recovery time.
A vacation bench of justice Amjad Sayed and justice Girish Kulkarni said it would like to first get the Centre’s stand on it.
The state, through government pleader Priyabhushan Kakade, submitted the reply filed by Dr S M Tayde, director of health services in Mumbai, to oppose the PIL, saying no new advisory is needed.
The state said that ivermectin tablet is prescribed under the protocol issued by state’s public health department as a treatment course to Covid patients in home isolation and hospitalisation too in its protocol dated April8, 2021.
But Kadam said it works in a prevention mode as has been notified by the three other states.
Additional solicitor general Anil Singh said the Centre would reply and the matter is now posted to June.
The PIL was filed to issue updated robust Covid protocol with regard to various drugs and also a prayer to include in standard protocol ivermectin along with vitamin D as prophylaxis for preventing covid.
“Considering the nature" of the plea, the HC said it was of the prima facie opinion that it was an issue to be dealt with by experts and hence sought Centre’s reply.