Supreme Court Rejects Mandatory Disclosure of Drug Side Effects by Doctors

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea for mandating doctors to disclose potential drug side effects to patients. The court found the proposal impractical, noting it would limit doctors' capacity and isn't necessary since manufacturers already provide such information.

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea requesting that medical professionals be required to inform patients of all potential side effects and risks associated with prescribed drugs. The court maintained that such an obligation is impractical for doctors to fulfill, as it would limit their capacity to attend to patients efficiently.

The plea was an appeal against a previous Delhi High Court decision and was presented by Advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of petitioner Jacob Vadakkanchery. Bhushan argued that informing patients of possible side effects would help avoid medical negligence claims. The court, however, pointed out that the World Health Organization highlights the risks of patients being harmed by incorrectly prescribed medications.

The High Court's judgment suggested that the responsibility for providing drug-related information lies with the manufacturer and the pharmacist, and introducing such a requirement for doctors would mean stepping into legislative territory. Given this context, the Supreme Court found no basis for issuing a directive as requested.

(With inputs from agencies.)