States » SouthPosted at: Oct 23 2026 8:11PM


No need for concern over generic SMA drug: Kerala Health Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 23 (UNI) Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan on Friday assured that there is no reason for concern over the generic medicine being supplied to patients suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), asserting that the decision to procure the drug from Indian pharmaceutical company Natco Pharma was based on the recommendation of a technical committee.
Addressing a press conference here, the minister said the medicine had been approved for distribution following judicial scrutiny by the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had clearly stated that Natco's Risdiplam was suitable for SMA patients, and experts concerned had also confirmed its suitability, he said.
Medical Education Director Dr K.V. Viswanathan, who heads the technical committee, said some samples provided by the company to doctors had been administered to patients before the regular stock became available. There was nothing unusual about this practice and no reason for apprehension, he said.
Muraleedharan said the medicine was withdrawn after reports appeared on certain television channels, primarily to prevent doubts and anxiety among patients and their families. He maintained that the withdrawal was not medically necessary and that there was no reason to question the drug's reliability.
The minister said the decision to select a medicine was taken by the expert committee and not by him personally. Though he was not an MBBS graduate, he said, qualified doctors and specialists were responsible for evaluating the medicine. No drug could be supplied without the approval of the competent expert committee, he added.
He alleged that attempts might have been made to create apprehension among the parents of SMA patients and suggested that pharmaceutical companies from abroad could be involved in the controversy. He reiterated that the drug's suitability had been established by the relevant authorities and experts.
The minister also referred to the role of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL), pointing out that several companies had supplied medicines through the corporation in previous years.
Questioning the credentials of Taurus, a company based in Kannur that had supplied medicines, Muraleedharan asked who owned the company, who its managing director was and on what basis medicines had been procured from it. He said the issues were being investigated and that a Vigilance inquiry would follow. Those responsible for any wrongdoing would not be spared, he added.
Referring to political contributions, the minister said information available on the Election Commission's website showed that Natco Pharma had contributed Rs 1 crore to the CPI(M) in 2023-24 and Rs 50 lakh in 2024-25. He questioned attempts to link the present controversy to the procurement decision and asked who had been the Health Minister during those financial years.
Muraleedharan also cited earlier controversies in the State's health sector, including the deaths of 38 infants following an infection at SAT Hospital in 2007, the procurement of masks and gloves from various sources during the COVID-19 pandemic, and expenditure on buildings and expensive medical equipment. He said the public was aware of who had held the Health portfolio during those periods.
The minister also responded to allegations surrounding the visit of Natco Pharma representatives to his office, explaining that the company's engagement with SAT Hospital was related to a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
According to Muraleedharan, the hospital's then superintendent had written to Natco Pharma on March 25, 2026, seeking Rs 75 lakh for renovating Ward 14, an isolation ward for children affected by chickenpox and other infectious diseases.
He questioned whether the superintendent had made the request without informing the Health Minister in office at the time. Nevertheless, he described the initiative as welcome, as it was intended to improve facilities at the hospital.
The company representatives visited the hospital and assessed the requirements before transferring the first instalment of Rs 25 lakh to the hospital society's account, the minister said.
Natco Pharma representatives came to meet the Health Minister in the first week of August to hand over a certificate relating to the contribution, he said. Rejecting allegations that the meeting had been held secretly, Muraleedharan said the photograph was taken in the presence of a gathering of people.
UNI DS
Tags: #No need for concern over generic SMA drug: Kerala Health Minister
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