The Supreme Court has stayed in the interim a Kerala High Court order directing the Centre to provide an additional Rs 18 lakh worth of medicines to a patient suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, beyond its Rs 50 lakh cap. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar on February 24 issued notice to the respondents on Centre's plea. "Issue notice returnable in the week commencing April 17, 2025... till the next date of hearing, there will be a stay of the order of the impugned judgment." Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by progressive muscle weakness and wasting, affecting the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. Under the policy, Centre can provide Rs 50 lakh for treatment to a needy patient. The high court on February 6 instructed that the SMA drug Risdiplam should be provided as a one-time measure to ensure continued treatment for 24-year-old Seba PA till the matter over its high ..