In Brief
A Public Interest Litigation challenged the charging of fees for COVID-19 testing by private laboratories during the 2020 pandemic. The Supreme Court found that permitting private labs to charge for testing during a national calamity would prevent a large section of the population from accessing necessary screening. The Court directed that all accredited private laboratories and hospitals provide COVID-19 tests free of cost, while the question of later reimbursement to these private facilities was left for subsequent consideration. The direction aimed to ensure universal access to testing during the health emergency.
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