Ahmedabad-based Zydus Hospitals introduces rules for buying Remdesivir

Zydus Hospitals, the healthcare arm of Zydus Group, has notified new rules for purchasing Remdesivir from its Ahmedabad-based hospital. These new rules have been formed to curb hoarding and black-marketing of the anti-coronavirus medication in view of rising demand amid surge in COVID-19 cases across the country and state.

Zydus Hospitals had stopped selling Remdesivir in April from its counters in Ahmedabad. In the latest notice, the hospital said that it has started selling the drug from April 11 between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm. Buyers can acquire the Remdesivir injections from Basement 1 of Zydus Hospitals campus in Thaltej, Ahmedabad.

Buyers will have to produce certain documents at the purchase too. Original prescription from an allopathic physician bearing the registration number, doctor's stamp and qualification on hospital's letterhead will have to be shown. No digital copies or photocopies of the prescription will be accepted.

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Also, RT-PCR report not older than seven days and copy of admitted patient's Aadhaar card will have to be furnished. One person will be allowed to buy Remdesivir injections for only one patient.

On Sunday, India banned the export of Remdesivir injection and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) used for making the coronavirus medication till the recent surge in COVID-19 cases subsides.

Union Health Ministry said it is taking measures to ensure easy access to Remdesivir for hospitals and patients. All domestic manufacturers of Remdesivir have been advised to display details of their stockists and distributors on their website to facilitate access to the drug.

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Drugs inspectors and other officers have been directed to verify stocks and take "effective actions to curb hoarding and black marketing". The State Health Secretaries will review this with the drug inspectors of the respective states and union territories.

Health Ministry said that the Department of Pharmaceuticals has been in contact with the domestic manufacturers to ramp up the production of Remdesivir.

The central government has also advised the States to adhere to the extant National Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 for treatment of patients infected with the virus. This protocol lists Remdesivir as an investigational therapy. This direction should be conveyed to hospitals and compliance should be monitored, the Health Ministry stated.

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