SC to hear PIL seeking direction to govt for ban on unregulated medical devices

The Supreme Court will on February 14 hear the PIL (Public Interest Litigation) filed by a doctor, asking for directions to the Central government in connection with an immediate ban on unregulated medical devices which are being sold on-line in open market.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice N V Ramana will hear the petition filed by Dr Rohit Jain through his lawyer, Shashank Deo Sudhi on Friday.

Jain had moved the top court, seeking a direction to the government for an immediate ban on the online or offline sale of all names of glucometers/in vitro diagnostic medical devices.

The petition, a copy of which is available with ANI, stated that there are various unregulated medical diagnostic devices, which are easily available in the open market and can be easily purchased by any unqualified, unauthorised and or unlicensed persons.

It further stated that these medical devices are vulnerable to the lives of the common people as there is no regulation enforced on part of the operation of these medical devices.

"It is the need of the hour to formulate a comprehensive guideline to regulate the medical devices being used for generating a clinical report to ascertain its authenticity for proper and accurate treatment," the plea said.

It claimed the government has become completely insensitive to the enormity of the problem being faced by the common people, who are not getting proper medical treatment.

"Ordinary people are forced to go to the illegal and unauthorisedly running diagnostic laboratories which are producing lab report with help of uncalibrated testing equipment," the petition added.