Plea Seeks Mechanism For Safety Testing Of Drugs On Vultures Before Launching New NSAIDS In Open Market: Delhi High Court Issues Notice

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice on a plea seeking creation of an effective mechanism for safety testing of the drugs on wild scavenging birds, specifically vultures, before launching new Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) in open market.

A division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla sought response of the respondent authorities within four weeks while posting the matter for further hearing on August 24.

The Court has asked the respondent authorities to examine the aspects raised by the petitioner.

At the outset, the Court has also directed the Centre to take appropriate measures that are called for to save vultures, adding that they are an important link in the food chain and are essential for maintaining the environment. 

The plea makes the following as respondents: Centre, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, National Biodiversity Authority, Bombay Natural History Society and Indian Veterinary Research Institute.

Filed by Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, the plea avers that the Vultures are exposed to toxic level of NSAIDS when they feed on carcasses of livestock which have died within a few days of treatment and which contain residues of the said drugs.

It states that while the Respondents themselves had acknowledged that NSAIDS like Aceclofenac, Nimesulide, Ketoprofen etc are harmful for Vultures, however no serious efforts and steps have been taken to ban the sale of said drugs.

Accordingly, the plea seeks directs on the Respondents to promote the use of Meloxicam (Salt Formula) for veterinary use as the same poses no risk to viltures.

It also seeks directions on the respondent authorities to Constitute Monitoring Committee to check and supervise that toxic NSAIDS are not in use in Open Market.

It also seeks introduction of an effective system to collect dead vultures for analyzing purpose and to ascertain the cause of Mortality. It also seeks checking of toxicity in NSAIDS available in the market and if found toxic, the plea seeks ban on the manufacturing, distribution, retail formulation, Injectable formulation and use of the same by way of evoking sec 26A of Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Title: GAURAV KUMAR BANSAL v. UNION OF INDIA & OTHERS