Remdesivir to be available at ‘fixed rate’ in a pharmacy near you

Nagpur: Covid-19 patients admitted in private hospitals in state will also get the life saving injection Remdesivir at fixed rates now. The Public health department issued a circular in this regard and a list of pharmacy shops from where people can get Remdesivir at Rs2,360 per vial including Rs120 commission of the pharmacy store. Market price of this injection is Rs5,500.
As per the government circular, private hospitals where Covid-19 patient is admitted and require Remdesivir injection have to provide a short clinical history of the patient along with the prescription. Distribution of injection will be ensured and controlled through food and drugs administration (FDA). The local health authorities (civil surgeon or the medical superintendent of the government hospital) will confirm whether the patient really needs this life saving drugs within 1 hour of time and approve the demand. After this, patient will get up to six vials of the injection at subsidized rates from the designated medical stores.
As per the government rules, private hospitals where Covid-19 patients are treated at capped rates are not bound to provide the high grade drugs like Remdesivir. Patients were being asked to buy this injection from private medical shops where black-marketing of this injection was alleged. Now, a simple demand proposal to the civil surgeon from private hospital will give up to six vials of Remdesivir at nearly half of the market rate to the patient’s relatives.
Initial results of various clinical trials in country, including the one under way in Nagpur, have shown that Remdesivir proves to be a life saver for Covid-19 patients with moderate to severe infection.