The Centre on Sunday stopped the export of anti-viral drug Remdesivir along with Remdesivir Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) with the surge in the Covid-19 cases throughout the country. The government stated in a an order, “India is witnessing a recent surge in COVID cases. As on 11.04.2021, there are 11.08 lakh active COVID cases and they are steadily increasing. This has led to a sudden spike in demand for Injection Remdesivir used in the treatment of COVID patients. There is a potential of a further increase in this demand in the coming days.”
Seven Indian companies are producing Remdesivir Injection following a voluntary licensing agreement with the US-based company Gilead Sciences adding that there is an installed capacity of around 38.80 lakh units per order revealed the government order. It stated, “In light of the above, Government of India has prohibited the exports of Injection Remdesivir and Remdesivir Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) till the situation improves.”
The order further mentioned that all domestic manufacturers of Remdesivir have been recommended to give the details on their website about their stockists or distributors for facilitating ease of accessibility towards the drug. It added, “Drugs inspectors and other officers have been directed to verify stocks and check their malpractices and also take other effective actions to curb hoarding and black marketing. The State Health Secretaries will review this with the Drug Inspectors of the respective States/UTs.”
It also added that the department of pharmaceuticals have been contacting with domestic manufacturers to accelerate the production of Remdesivir.
Meanwhile, India on Sunday registered 152,879 fresh cases of Covid-19, observing another record along with 839 deaths in last 24 hours raising the total death count to 169,275. The active cases currently are 1,108,087 and the recovery rate has dropped to 90.44 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry.
- Melukote – Vairamudi Festival – 2022
- Bengaluru metro to function on weekdays, closed on weekends from July 1
- India provides reciprocal exemption of EU Digital COVID Certificate to include Covishield, Covaxin
- PM Modi will address the Digital India beneficiaries at 11 am tomorrow
- Pvt hospitals will obtain Covid vaccine doses via CoWIN starting from July 1
