Immune booster Vitamin C disappears from shelves

Nida Sayed | TNN | Apr 7, 2020, 04:56 IST

Panaji: The desire to strengthen one’s immune system coupled with the urge to bulk purchase out of fear of running out of medicines, has led to a shortage of Vitamin C tablets in pharmacies across the state.
“We ran out of the tablets last week and have been reaching out to our distributors. They have told us that there is a shortage of the tablets since stocks are not coming from the pharmaceutical manufacturers’ end,” chemists at Jeevan Rekha medical stores said.
At Farmacia Salcete the demand for the tablets has increased ever since news of the novel coronavirus pandemic broke out. “Vitamin C boosts immunity so people started purchasing four to five strips at a time instead of just one to keep themselves stocked,” a staffer said.
Secretary of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association’s Goa branch, Prasad Tamba said that this is an artificially created shortage owing to panic buying.
“With the Vitamin C stock we had, we would have managed to last till this weekend. However, growing demand following the lockdown led to panic buying. Some buyers went to multiple pharmacies and purchased the tablets. The drug has therefore gone out of stock,” he said.
Tamba said that there are hiccups in distribution of other medicines coming from companies like Sun Pharma and Lupin Laboratories. These are psychotropic drugs, medicines for anti-hypertension, and cholesterol.
“The lockdown can be very difficult for people who already have a history of anxiety and depression. I was worried that my uncle would lose his semblance of mind during this time and therefore purchased 30 days’ worth medicines in advance,” a Panaji-resident said on condition of anonymity.
In addition, medical stores continue to face a shortage of face masks and sanitisers. “This is for the first time that such a situation has prevailed, so people need to cooperate instead of panic buying,” Tamba said.