Chennai: India on Sunday banned the export of Remdesivir injection till the Covid-19 situation improves in the country.
In a statement, the government said that all domestic manufactures of Remdesivir have been advised to display on their website, details of their stockists/distributors to facilitate access to the drug.
The government took the step amid a sudden spike in demand for the injection, the Health Ministry said in a statement, adding that “there is a potential of further increase in this demand in the coming days.”
Seven Indian companies produce Remdesivir under voluntary licensing agreements with Gilead Sciences Inc. They have an installed capacity of about 3.9 million units per month.
As Covid-19 cases in India surged, so did the demand for Remdesivir. It is being alleged that indiscriminate usage, hoarding, and black marketers caused artificial shortage to jack up prices.
Addressing the media recently, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that the drug was being used indiscriminately without following appropriate official protocols.
“The State is getting 50,000 doses every day and all of them are being consumed, leading to the shortage,” Tope said and added: “Pharmacists and stockists might be doing black marketing and that needs to be checked.”
Several States in India have reported a shortage of the drug following a rise in its demand amid a record surge in Covid-19 infections across the country.
Remdesivir, originally developed to treat hepatitis C and subsequently tested against Ebola, initially made the headlines during the early stages of research into the coronavirus disease treatment.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals has been in contact with the domestic manufacturers to ramp up the production of Remdesivir, the government said.
Drugs inspectors and other officers have been directed to verify stocks and also take measures to curb hoarding and black marketing.
The States and UTs have been advised that the steps should again be communicated to all hospitals, both in public and private sector, and compliance monitored, the statement added.
The government has also advised the States that the extant “National Clinical Management Protocol for Covid-19,” which is based on evidence, has been developed after many interactions by the Committee of Experts, and is the guiding document for treatment of Covid-19 patients.