PUNE: The black-marketing of antiviral drug remdesivir is on the rise in the
Pune Metropolitan Region amid Covid surge and its acute shortage.
In some instances, Rs7,000-18,000 was charged per vial when its purchase price is between Rs1,100 and Rs1,800. The Pune and
Pimpri Chinchwad police arrested 17 people in six cases of remdesivir black-marketing over the last one week.
Five cases were in Pune city, in which 13 people were arrested. Another four men were held in the sixth case of black-marketing in Pimpri Chinchwad. In most cases, the vials were illegally procured from Covid care centres or Covid hospitals’ medical stores, the police said.
“We have arrested nine men in four cases registered with Bharti Vidaypeeth, Dattawadi, Lonikand and Chandannagar police since a week. Investigations in all these cases revealed that the suspects had procured the remdesivir vials in small quantities either from the Covid care centres or Covid hospitals or attached medical stores,” additional commissioner of police Ashok Morale, the Pune police crime branch in-charge, told TOI on Thursday.
Two cases, in which four men were arrested, were registered with the Bharati Vidyapeeth and Dattawadi police. The arrested persons had sold the drug at Rs5,000, Rs7,000 and Rs11,000 per vial.
“We arrested five men after two FIRs were lodged with the Lonikand and Chandannagar police on Wednesday night on bid to sell remdesivir vials for Rs10,000 and Rs18,000 each,” Morale said.
There has been an increasing demand for remdesivir in various hospitals after the spike in cases this month. Rampant and irrational use of the drug and inadequate supply added to the severe crunch. “Since the demand for vials has increased, we have instructed our crime branch officials to remain alert,” Morale said.
Remdesivir’s retail price varies among companies from Rs4,500 to Rs5,400 per vial. The manufacturers sell it to medical stores attached to Covid hospitals for Rs1,100-1,800 per vial following the request from the state government and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
“Private hospitals have been told to charge only 10% extra on the purchase price. The state government’s appeal to cap the drug’s price at Rs1,500 per vial is under consideration of the Union government,” said Shyam Pratapwar, assistant commissioner (drug), FDA, Pune.
“There was no allocation of vials to the district on Wednesday and Thursday for factors, including the rising caseload in adjoining states. The Centre’s curbs on export are likely to resolve the shortage within a day or two,” Pratapwar said.