Remdesivir supply frees up, hospitals demand fewer vials

BENGALURU: A leading private hospital in Bengaluru last week sought 450 vials, but this week, asked for just 72 — an anomaly which left health department officials surprised, and led to an inquiry. It revealed that the drop in demand was because supply of Remdesivir was being regulated, with a linking SFRID or BU number for each vial.

“The hospital has to give BU number or SRFID of each patient, so this has put an end to high demand, stocking up and black marketeering. It was expected and has helped us know the actual demand,” an official said. Hospitals, however, say that demand has reduced after WHO declared that Remdesivir does not help in curing the patient, so doctors have decided against its use.

“When we prescribed it, many patients started questioning why it was being given, as it is not a complete cure. So we decided to go by WHO guidelines and reduced demand. We use it only on case basis now,” said a doctor from a private hospital. Experts argue: “WHO guidelines were issued on October 23, 2020, and going by this, demand should have been zero.

But because accountability is being maintained, demand has come down. Interestingly, hospitals continue to ask patients to get the vial from outside, despite them getting stock on demand. They tell attendants there is shortage and they need to get it from outside.” According to the Drugs Control department website and government records, total supply from April 21 to May 17 has been 1,96,625 vials to government hospitals, and 3,45,027 vials to the open market.

Records show that on May 17, a total of 26,100 Remdesivir vials were given, while the highest number of 54,540 vials was given on May 13. The lowest number since April 21 was 2,880, and there was no supply on April 25. While patients admitted privately to hospitals found it difficult to procure Remdesivir, many said they had no problems.

Giridhar Patil, who was admitted through BBMP, needed six doses. “Each time he needed it, the hospital raised the indent and he got it,” said Patil’s wife Rashmi Patil. Srinath Babu, who got his brother admitted in a private hospital, said: “The hospital gave me the prescription and I approached the Drug Controller war roomand doses were given in 14 hours.” However, Jyothi Praveen, a volunteer, said two families trying to get Remdesivir were unable to do so as the control room numbers did not connect and hospitals were out of stock.