France, Aug. 27 -- Indian authorities are probing allegations that a drug company bribed doctors to promote its anti-fever pills -the latest controversy involving the country's pharmaceuticals industry.

Accusations that Micro Labs gave freebies to doctors to prescribe its Dolo-650 pills startled the Supreme Court, which on 18 August gavethe government 10days to respond.

"What you are saying is not music to my ears. This is exactly the drug that I had when I had Covid recently," Justice DYChandrachud said.

"This is a serious issue and we will look into it," he said while hearing a civil suit filed by India's Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Associations (FMRAI) complaining of drug firms' use ofunethical marketing practice...