Supreme Court dismisses plea against Arsenicum Album 30 use

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a writ petition as withdrawn that challenged the Ministry of Ayush's guidelines regarding the use of the homeopathic medicine Arsenicum Album 30. The petition, filed in 2021 by physician-scientist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips (known as ‘TheLiverDoc’), sought to restrain the mass administration of the arsenic-derived preparation as a preventive measure against COVID-19 or as an immunity booster, particularly for children and seniors over 65.

Following the withdrawal, Dr. Philips stated on social media that his decision stemmed from a loss of faith in the judiciary, claiming that “sometimes, justice is delayed, to deny it.” He criticized the responses from the central and state Ayush departments as “idiotic, nauseating, ad-hominem and utterly rubbish.”

During the proceedings, legal counsel for the Indian Homoeopathic Medical Association opposed the withdrawal, characterizing Dr. Philips' public statements against the judiciary as “very serious” and “very contemptuous.” The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana, dismissed the case after noting the petitioner's request to withdraw.