Centre taking all steps to accelerate remdesivir production: Union minister

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New Delhi: The government is taking all steps to accelerate the production of antiviral drug remdesivir, used in treatment of COVID-19, and ensure its availability in the country, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Friday.

The minister also mentioned that a total of 6.69 lakh vials of the drug have been made available to different states and union territories during the last five days.

“Government is taking every necessary step to accelerate the production facilities of #Remdesivir, it’s capacity enhancement & availability”, Gowda said in a tweet.

In another tweet, the minister said: “On Govt’s intervention, major Manufacturers of #Remdesivir have voluntarily reduced its MRP ranging from Rs 5,400 to less than Rs 3,500 by 15.04.2021.This will support PM @narendramodi”s efforts to fight #COVID19″.

Gowda also said that the Department of Pharmaceuticals and National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) are continuously monitoring the production of remdesivir.

The production has gone up from 28 lakh vials per month to 41 lakh vials per month during the last week, he added. In another tweet, Gowda said: “Remdesivir placed under Export ban wef 11.04.2021 to increase supply in domestic market. Its supplies of approx 4 lakh vials meant for Export is being diverted by manufacturers to fulfil domestic requirement. EOU/SEZ units are also being enabled to supply for domestic market”.

On Wednesday, the ministry had said manufacturers of remdesivir have been directed to give priority to fulfil hospital/institutional level supplies.

Enforcement authorities of states and central government have been directed by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to take immediate action on incidence of black-marketing, hoarding and overcharging of remdesivir, it had added.

Meanwhile, a state minister of Maharashtra on Friday flagged that the state will face a shortage of 12,000 to 15,000 remdesivir injections.

Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Minister Rajendra Shingane said, “Companies that produce Remdesivir injection have increased their production but it will take some time for the vials to hit the market. If we consider a 10-12% shortage, Maharashtra will continue to face a shortage of 12,000 to 15,000 remdesivir vials for the next two to three days”.