The much delayed arguments on the controversial issue of centralisation of issuance of Certificate of Pharmaceutical Products (CoPP) by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) concluded in the Madras High Court on February 16.

The court heard the arguments, which began on February 15, of all the concerned parties on the petitions filed by Tamil Nadu Drug Control Officers Association, Federation of South Indian Pharma Manufacturers Association and Confederation of Indian Pharmaceutical Industries challenging the DCGI order.

Justice J Suguna commenced hearing on the crucial issue yesterday. Though the legal battle has been going on for more than three months, the arguments in the case concluded in a couple of days. The case had to be adjourned on several times without arguments due to different reasons.

Government pleader advocate G Sankaran has appeared on behalf of the government and senior advocate M Muthukumarasami argued on behalf of TNDCOA. For the manufacturers' side senior advocate Masila Mani appeared in the court.

The DCGI office (CDSCO) has engaged Advocate Mohanamurali in support of their counter petition.

The controversy over the COPP started when the DCGI issued an order by centralizing the issuance of CoPP in September last year asking the state regulatory agencies to stop the issuance of CoPP from October 1 last year. Challenging the order, the state drug controllers and manufacturers across the country filed petitions in the court on October 10 and the court had stayed the order on October 13.

The case came up for hearing initially on November 18 2009, before the court of Justice K Venkitaraman. Later the case was postponed for several dates and finally arguments were started on February 15.