From May 18, Remdesivir to be sold to private hospitals directly: Tamil Nadu government

CHENNAI: Following warnings from health experts on overcrowding at the places designated for purchasing Remdesivir drug in Chennai and other places, the State government on Sunday announced that the antiviral drug will directly be given to hospitals from Tuesday onwards.
 
A new portal would be launched soon through which the private hospitals will be allowed to purchase Remdesivir directly from the sales centres, said the government in a statement.
 
Referring to the World Health Organisation and medical experts, the government stated that antiviral Remdesivir drug should only be administered for patients who are undergoing treatment with oxygen support. The drug has limited benefit for other patients.
 
The private hospitals will have to furnish all the information related to patients in the soon to be launched portal, accordingly should place requests for Remdesivir online.
 
“After the drug was allotted, an authorised person from the hospital can purchase the Remdesivir from the government sales centres. The new procedures will come into effect from May 18,” said an official statement.
 
For patients undergoing treatment at government hospitals, Remdesivir durg will continue to be provided by the State owned Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC).

So far Remdesivir for patients in private facilities was sold through government sale centres in Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Tirunelveli.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat on Sunday. Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramaniam, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and other top officials took part in the meeting.
 
The government said authorities would monitor if the antiviral drug was used by private hospitals only for eligible patients and also it was sold to patients at the same price at which it was bought from its centres.

The government had also warned of punitive action for recommending Remdesivir without any necessity.