India bans virus drug Remdesivir’s export

| | New Delhi
  • 0

India bans virus drug Remdesivir’s export

Monday, 12 April 2021 | PNS | New Delhi

Anticipating increase in the demand for Remdesivir injection in the coming days in the wake of a spike in Covid-19 cases, the Centre on Sunday took a string of measures from prohibition of the export of the anti-viral drug as well as that of Remdesivir Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) with an aim to ensure sufficient availability in the domestic market.

The Centre’s decision to ban the export of Remdesivir comes in the wake of reports of its shortage and hoarding resulting in inflated prices of the drug in black market. There have been reports of Remdesivir shortage in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

The Government has asked authorities to cap the price of Remdesivir between `1,100 and `1,400 per vial and urged about a dozen pharmaceutical companies, including Mylan, Hetero Healthcare, Jubilant Life Sciences, Cipla, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Cadila and Sun Pharmaceuticals — to scale up to their maximum capacity of 31.6 lakh vials per month and lower its MRP (maximum retail price).

The Government has also advised all domestic manufactures of Remdesivir to display details of their stockists/distributors on their website.

In order to facilitate access to the drug while the Department of Pharmaceuticals has been in contact with domestic manufacturers to ramp up the production.

Moreover, drugs inspectors and other officers are directed to verify the stocks and also take measures to curb hoarding and black marketing of Remdesivir.

“There is a potential of a further increase in demand for Remdesivir injection in the coming days. The Department of Pharmaceuticals has been in contact with domestic manufacturers to ramp up the production of Remdesivir,” the Government said in a statement here.

Remdesivir is considered a key anti-viral drug in the fight against Covid-19, especially in adult patients with severe complications. Sudden demand of Remdesivir after it had dipped in December last year to February this year has taken the manufacturers by surprise who said that it would take at least 10 days to overcome the shortage.

The Maharashtra Government, meanwhile, has decided to set up district-level control rooms to ensure a smooth supply of Remdesivir injections and prevent hoarding and black marketing of the drug, officials said on Sunday.

The State is facing multiple issues pertaining to the drug, like the demand-supply gap, its hoarding and black marketing by stockists and pharmacy shops, unaffordable prices and irrational prescriptions by some doctors.

It has also asked the health services commissioner to put in place a separate mechanism to streamline the supply of Remdesivir, in the wake of a rise in its demand due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda