Anti-Covid drug Remdesivir being sold for up to Rs 60K, drug controller orders clampdown on hoarders

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 8 

The government has ordered a countrywide crackdown on hoarders and black marketers of antiviral drug Remdesivir—allowed for use in severe COVID-19 cases—after evidence that patients have to pay between Rs 16,000 to Rs 60,000 for it.

The MRP of the drug is Rs 5,400 for a 100 mg vial.

Remdesivir was included in India’s COVID clinical management protocol as investigational therapy to be used in patients facing oxygen stress on June 14.

The Drug Controller later clarified that the medicine will not be sold off the rack and will have to be supplied to hospitals for use in severe COVID cases.

In a letter to state drug controllers on July 6, Drug Controller VG Somani said the black marketing of the drug needs to be cracked down on and MRP strictly enforced considering the short supply of the medicine.

Somani said complaints had been received by the Health Ministry saying Remdesivir was being black marketed and sold at overpriced rates.

Remdesivir injectable formulation was recently allowed in India under emergency use authorisation.

Only three Indian companies have been permitted to manufacture its generic version after agreements with US-based drug developer  Gilead. Haryana Assistant Drug Controller, Manmohan Taneja, on Wednesday said the state had taken note of the issue and directed every distributor and agent of Remdesivir to submit a daily stock and sale position. The state drug regulator’s field officers have been asked to verify the same every day.

He said the state has not yet received any complaint of black marketing of the drug.

Remdesivir is still at experimental stages worldwide and is part of the WHO Solidarity Trial which is soon expected to share results of a large Remdesivir trial undergoing in many places.

Emergency use authorisation is granted for drugs still at an experimental stage but showing potential for therapy. They are yet to be proven through all stages of drug clinical trials.