Remdesivir Panic Is Real As Drug Shortage Leads To Black Marketing And Chaos Across India

Remdesivir is not a proven treatment against COVID-19. Governments have said it, the courts have said it. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said and reiterated this fact. Yet, in India, people are rushing to the pharmacies and hospitals with prescriptions for the drug leading to a crunch in its supply.

Let's take a look at what's happening across the country regarding the much in-demand anti-Covid drug.

Madhya Pradesh

A medical shop owner and two others were arrested on Thursday by the Madhya Pradesh police's Special Task Force (STF) for allegedly black marketing Remdesivir injections used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, an official said. Reportedly, police's Special Task Force sleuths recovered 12 vials of injections of two different brands from them. It was printed on the packet of these vials that they are meant ''for export only''. The maximum sale price was not printed on them, but they were trying to sell each injection at ? 20,000, the official said.

Remdesivir

Notably, the maximum retail price per vial for various brands of Remdesivir are Rs 5,400 for Hetero company, Rs 4,700 for Mylan, Rs 4,700 for Jubliant, Rs 5,400 for Reddy¡¯s, Rs 4,000 for Cipla and Rs 899 for Zydus.

Uttar Pradesh

Similarly, three persons, including two medical representatives, were arrested from Kanpur for allegedly black marketing Remdesivir injections, the Uttar Pradesh Police said. A total of 265 vials were seized from the arrested men who were selling the drug for Rs 4,000, thus making an earning of more than Rs 10 lakhs.

Kanpur: Acting on a tip-off of Military Intelligence Unit, police arrested three people with Remdesivir injections in Babu Purwa area yesterday.

"265 vials of Remdesivir injection have been seized & its genuineness is being checked," said DCP (South) Ravina Tyagi. pic.twitter.com/I9plRIikPi

¡ª ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 16, 2021

Maharashtra

Three men including a doctor were arrested on Tuesday on charges of selling Remdesivir injection in Mumbai¡¯s fast-growing black market for the key antiviral drug for Covid-19 patients that is in short supply, the Mumbai police said on Wednesday. The gang had offered three injections for total price of Rs. 59,000 as against the retail price of about Rs. 1,400 per injection.

BCCL

In a separate instance, relatives & families of COVID-19 patients in Pune on Thursday staged a sit-in protest outside Collector's office demanding the anti-viral drug.

Maharashtra: Relatives & families of #COVID19 patients in Pune sit on protest outside Collector's office demanding Remdesivir. pic.twitter.com/bSLLoWGW4L

¡ª The Times Of India (@timesofindia) April 15, 2021

Chhattisgarh

A long queue of family members of COVID patients was seen outside a medical store to procure Remdesivir injection, in Raipur on Thursday. "I have been here since Wednesday morning. My patient needs 6 injections but they won't give more than one," one of the men in the queue said.

Chhattisgarh: For Remdesivir injection, a long queue of family members of COVID patients was seen outside a medical store in Raipur on Thursday.

"I have been here since Wednesday morning. My patient needs 6 injections but they won¡¯t give more than one," a man said. pic.twitter.com/BeGHf1U8rY

¡ª ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2021

Gujarat

Hundreds queued up outside the Bhartiya Janata Party office in Surat after state party President CR Patil announced free distribution of 5,000 doses of Remdesivir amid a shortage of the anti-viral drug used to treat COVID-19 patients. Over 100-meter-long queue was seen outside the BJP's office on April 12, Indian Express reported. The free distribution started from the BJP's Surat office on April 10.

BCCL

Chaos on Twitter

Even Twitter is awash with people requesting vials of the drug to treat their loved ones currently in intensive care units (ICUs). Communication along the supply chain, from the manufacturers to the end consumer, has a lot left to desire and is adding to the chaos.

These are extremely crucial days . Our collective conscience is rising up to battle the gargantuan challenges , will impact our fate of the next many many years . Sending my prayers for all those battling a crisis situation.

¡ª Tuhin A. Sinha ????? ?????? (@tuhins) April 15, 2021

This is a call for help. Urgently need #Remdesivir for my mother who's covid +ive and a chronic patient with Kartagener's syndrome (a rare, severe lung disease). I am in Jamshedpur with her. She has high fever & her O2 is dropping despite continuous O2 support. Kindly amplify.

¡ª Sana Shakil (@sanashakil_TNIE) April 14, 2021

Urgently req #Remdesivir Injections and no Chemist has any stock. Sr ctzn Patient (close relative) is admitted in hospital #covid and Hospital says that We have to arrange for it. Location: Malad W, Mumbai. @OfficeofUT @AUThackeray @mybmc @MumbaiPolice Pl help #SOS

¡ª Ritesh Patel (@riteshtweets) April 13, 2021

Check availability

To help people get access to the drug easily, pharma major Dr Reddy's Laboratories' official website has listed various details on the availability of Remdesivir as well as Favipiravir tablets used to treat Covid patients. The website -- readytofightcovid.in -- lists all hospitals and pharma shops in different cities which have the two drugs available, along with phone numbers and addresses.

REUTERS

It also provides access to a 24/7 helpline number -- 1800-266-708 -- for all queries related to the Covid drugs. The website is intended to provide contact details of the local distributors who are engaged in the sale and distribution of the Covid medicines and vaccines distributed by Dr Reddy's Laboratories.