Delhi High Court stays ban on sale of Vicks Action 500 till March 21

Healthcare major Procter and Gamble today got interim relief from the Delhi High Court which stayed till March 21 government’s decision banning sale of its cough-and-cold medicine Vicks Action 500. Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw granted the relief to P&G, after having given similar reliefs in the past two days to pharma major Pfizer’s cough syrup ‘Corex’ and Abbott Healthcare and Macleods Pharmaceuticals whose certain combination medicines were banned by the Health Ministry.

The high court has listed the matter with other pleas for March 21 till when the Centre’s notification will remain stayed. The court’s order came on plea moved by P&G against the notification banning the sale of its medicine Vicks Action 500.

The Health Ministry, through a gazette notification, has banned over 300 fixed dose combination drugs, including cough syrup compositions, saying they involve “risk” to humans and safer alternatives were available.

The three companies have sought quashing of Centre’s March 10 notification.