New Delhi : The Delhi High Court observed that though homeopathic medicines are quite effective and a large number of people throughout the globe are availing homeopathic treatment, but in cases of pandemic, it shall always be left to the discretion of the government to decide which medical protocol shall be validated.The court observation came in a plea filed in 2020 which sought direction to the Centre to allow the use of homeopathic medicines for treatment of Covid-19 infections.The petition had sought notification of Homoeopathic medicines of Arsenicum album–Phosphorus–Tuberculinum (APT) in series intervention protocol to prevent COVID-19 infections, and to allow treatment of mild cases of Covid-19 with homoeopathic medicines standalone and for severe to critical cases, as an add-on therapy with allopathic medicines.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, disposed of the instant petition while observing that the courts cannot pass directions in respect of the medical protocol to be followed to curb the infection rate during pandemics as it is the domain of the expert bodies like Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other statutory bodies to accord approval upon the medical protocols, which is done after great research on the subject. “This Court at this juncture, especially when the COVID-19 infections have come almost to an end does not find any reason to allow the relief prayed for by the Petitioners. However, the Petitioner shall certainly be free to go ahead with their research/ drug trials strictly in accordance with law,” read the order.
