India has suspended exports of antiviral drug remdesivir and its active pharmaceutical ingredients, citing a sudden increase in demand caused by a surge in COVID-19 cases.
All domestic manufacturers of remdesivir, the generic name for the antiviral medicine from Gilead Sciences, were advised Sunday advised to display details of their stockists/distributors on their websites.
Drug inspectors and other officers have been directed to verify stocks, search for potential malpractice, and take other proactive measures to combat hoarding and black marketing.
The State Health Secretaries will conduct a review with the respective States' Drug Inspectors.
"India is witnessing a recent surge in COVID cases.," the central government said in a statement. "This has led to a sudden spike in demand for Injection remdesivir used in the treatment of Covid(-19) patients. There is a potential of a further increase in this demand in the coming days."
As the number of new COVID-19 cases reached 152,879 on Sunday, the sixth record rise in seven days, frantic relatives of patients formed queues outside a large hospital in the western state of Gujarat, witnesses said.
India, regarded as the world's pharmacy, has already halted significant exports of coronavirus vaccines, despite the fact that supplies are running low in some countries.
In addition to the remdesivir ban, the health ministry stated that manufacturers have been asked to increase supplies "until the situation improves."
Seven Indian companies have licensed the drug from Gilead Sciences, with an installed capacity of approximately 3.9 million units per month, for local use and export to more than 100 countries.
The World Health Organization issued a conditional recommendation against using remdesivir in hospitalized patients in November, citing a lack of evidence that the medication improved survival and other outcomes.
However, several countries, including India, continue to use it.
In more than two weeks, India has led the world in the daily average number of new infections recorded, accounting for one in every six infections reported globally per day.
