The Delhi High Court observed that no assurance was given by Roche India, which enjoys the license of manufacturing Tocilizumab 400 mg, if any further stock can be supplied to India and sought Centre's response on the demand of the said drug and how does the Centre intend to obtain the supplies of the said drug through Roche India and other global manufacturers.
A single judge bench comprising of Justice Pratibha M Singh sought Centre's response on the three issues and has directed the Centre to file an affidavit by 25 May i.e. two days before the next date of hearing which is scheduled to take place on 27 May.
The Court was dealing with a petition filed by brother of Sudhir Kumar Agarwal, a covid 19 patient admitted in Malik Radix Health Care Hospital, Nirman Vihar, New Delhi praying for directions on GNCTD and Union of India to urgently supply the Tocilizumab injection - Actemra 400 mg to the said hospital, so that the same can be administered to the patient urgently.
The direction came after the Court perused the affidavit filed by Roche India stating that there is no certainty in respect to the further imports of the said drug to be made to India.