The Central Government on April 11, 2021, prohibited the exports of injections Remdesivir and Remdesivir Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients- API. The prohibition will be till the Coronavirus situation in India improves.
Remdesivir has been considered a key anti-viral drug in the fight against Coronavirus.
In an official statement, the government stated that the country has been witnessing a recent surge in Coronavirus cases. This has led to the sudden increase in demand for Injection Remdesivir which is used in the treatment of Coronavirus patients. There is also a potential for a further increase in this demand in the coming days.
Three steps by the Government to ensure easy access of Remdesivir to hospitals and patients:
• All the domestic manufacturers of Remdesivir have been advised to display on their website, the details of their distributors/stockists to facilitate access to the drug.
• The drug inspectors as well as other officers have been directed by the government to verify stocks and check malpractices. They must also take effective actions to curb black marketing and hoarding.
• The State Health Secretaries will be reviewing this with the Drug Inspectors of the respective State and UTs.
National Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19: Document to treat COVID-19 patients
The Central Government has also advised the state governments that the extant ‘National Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19’, based on evidence, has been developed. It is formulated after many interactions by the Committee of Experts and is the guiding document for the treatment of Coronavirus patients.
The government added that in the Protocol, Remdesivir has been listed as an Investigational Therapy, as an example was informed and shared decision making is essential, apart from taking notes of contraindications mentioned in the detailed guidelines.
The government has advised that the steps must be communicated to all the hospitals, both in the private and public sector.
Production of Remdesivir in India:
7 Indian companies, in total, have been producing Injection Remdesivir under a voluntary licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences in the USA. The companies have an installed capacity of about 38.80 lakh units per month.
The Pharmaceuticals Department has also been in contact with the domestic manufacturers for increasing the production of Remdesivir.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation