Hospital staff-distributor nexus blamed for illegal Remdesivir sale

BENGALURU: Despite strict measures by the government to control the hoarding of Remdesivir injection, black-marketing of the drug, used in Covid-19 treatment, continues due to an alleged nexus between government and private hospital staff, distributors and pharmacists. The city police have cracked dozens of cases related to the sale of the anti-viral drug in the last two months. The Central Crime Branch police alone have booked about 20 cases and arrested around 50 people, including doctors, seizing close to 150 vials, At the police station level, several cases have been registered. 

However, police say that cases of black-marketing are declining as the government has streamlined the distribution from the drug controller’s office, recently. By and large,it has been found that either a hospital or a pharmacy staffer is behind the racket.

“As there was a huge demand for the drug earlier, some people started hoarding it. They encashed on the demand by marketing the drug in black. In some cases, it was distributors and medical store owners who were selling the drug illegally, while in other cases, hospital staff were found to be involved,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil.

“In most of the cases, hospital staff had misused the drug. If a patient was supposed to be administered 2-3 vials, they gave only one and stole the remaining to sell it in the black market,” he said.

Another officer said private hospital staff who have been arrested, had fleeced patients who didn’t have medical insurance. “If a patient had insurance, they raised indent through proper channels while patients availing cash treatment were told that the drug was not available, but assured of arranging one. They quoted a price based on the financial capacity of patients and sourced the drug from pharmacists or staff of government hospitals,” he said.