Pune: There is a shortage of Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Itolizumab injection vials in the city. In the last few days, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms were flooded with requests from patients in search of these medicines. These medicines are proving useful to treat critically ill patients affected by COVID-19, but they are out of stock in hospitals too. But now you need not worry as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a list of distributors with whom these medicines are easy.

These medicines will be supplied to only hospitals or patients after verifying prescription.

The number of critically ill patients affected by COVID-19 has crossed 500-mark in the city. In the first week of July, private hospitals in the city were having just 5 per cent of the total required stock of these injection vials. Doctors have warned that these injections should be administered to the patient only on the advice of an intensivist or epidemiologist. Pune city gets its Remdesivir medicine supply from two pharmaceutical companies – Cipla Limited and Hetero Drugs Limited.

Two antiviral drugs Remdesivir and Favipiravir – were approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) recently for treating patients with COVID-19. Other three drugs - Dexamethasone, Tocilizumab and Itolizumab - are also approved and in use for easing the symptoms of COVID-19 patients.

TENTATIVE COSTING

• Remdesivir - Rs 5,000 per vial
• Favipiravir - Rs 103 per 200 mg tablet
• Itolizumab vial - Rs 8,000
• Tocilizumab - Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 per vial