The High Court has upheld a previous order instructing 28 pharmaceutical companies to stop production of antibiotics, steroids and cancer drugs.
On Monday, Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan passed the order after a hearing was held over a rule issued in February.
It had also issued a rule asking why these companies’ operations will not be declared illegal.
Secretaries to the ministries of health and industry, chiefs of the health directorate and consumer rights protection directorate and four others were instructed to come up with explanations.
On Monday, the High Court disposed of the matter and upheld its order stopping manufacturing by the 28 companies.
The 28 companies
Amico Pharma, Aztec Pharmaceuticals, Bengal Techno Pharma Ltd, Benham Pharmaceuticals, Central Pharmaceuticals, Descent Pharma, Dr. Tims Pharmaceuticals, Globex Pharmaceuticals, Greenland Pharmaceuticals, Inova Pharmaceuticals, Max Drugs Ltd, Medi Mate Laboratories, Modern Pharmaceuticals, Mystic Pharmaceuticals, National Laboratories, Organic Health Care Ltd, Wester Pharma, Premier Pharmaceuticals, Prime Pharmaceuticals, Seema Pharmaceuticals, White Horse Pharmaceuticals, Momtaz Pharmaceuticals, Unique Pharmaceuticals, United Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, FNF Pharmaceuticals, Techo Drugs Ltd’s Units 1,2 and 3.
Rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh moved the High Court with a petition as the authorities did not take any step despite a special panel, formed upon the permission of the Speaker, recommended stopping these companies from producing drugs.
The petition said the 28 companies have been manufacturing antibiotics, steroids and cancer drugs without following the World Health Organization’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), posing a major risk to public health.
The GMP ensures that medicinal products are consistently produced and controlled to the quality standards appropriate to their intended use and as required by the product specification.
Source: bdnews24
