In a major policy decision, the Centre has decided to discontinue the Central Allocation of Remdesivir to States. The Centre has directed the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Agency (NPPA) and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to continuously monitor the availability of Remdesivir in the country. The government took the decision after the Remdesivir production had been ramped up to 3,50,000 vials per day from 33,000 vials per day.
With the Centre’s move, the state governments, which are struggling to combat the virus spread during the second wave and gearing up for the third wave of COVID 19, can now procure Remdesivir vials directly from the producers to meet their demands.
Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya said that the Government has also increased the number of plants producing Remdesivir from 20 to 60 plants within a month. Now the country has enough Remdesivir as the supply is much more than the demand, he added. Government of India has also decided to procure 50 lakh vials of Remdesivir to maintain it as a strategic stock for the emergency requirement, he added.
‘’I am delighted to inform you that production of Remdesivir has ramped up 10 times from just 33,000 vials a day on April 11, 2021 to 3,50,000 vials a day today. We have also increased the number of plants producing Remdesivir from just 20 to 60 plants within a month. Now, the country has enough Remdesivir as the supply is much more than the demand. So, we have decided to discontinue the Central Allocation of Remdesivir to States,’’ said Mandaviya.
‘’I have directed the NPPA and CDSCO to continuously monitor the availability of Remdesiir in the country. The Government of India has also decided to procure 50 lakh vials of Remdesivir to maintain it as a strategic stock for the emergency requirement,’’ said the ministers.
The government so far was allocating the Remdesivir to the states in the wake of constraints in production and availability of vials and also amid complaints of black marketing. In a bid to improve supply, the government has waived customs duty on Remdesivir, its raw materials and other components used in making the antiviral drug to help augment availability and reduce the cost of the injection.
As reported by Free Press Journal, the Centre on April 11 had banned the export of Remdesivir and its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) till the situation improves in the wake of the second wave. On April 17, pharmaceutical companies manufacturing Remdesivir voluntarily had reduced prices after the Centre’s intervention. The NPPA had declared a change in prices for seven brands of Remdesivir injections of potency 100 mg per vial.
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