New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry has asked the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) to ensure equitable distribution of ‘Remdesivir’ and ‘Tocilizumab’ drugs. These medicines have been included as ‘investigational therapies’ in the national treatment protocols for COVID-19, across India. The Health Ministry wants equal distribution of the two drugs across the country. The aim is to ensure that their availability is not skewed and does not remain confined to metropolitan areas, a Health Ministry official said.
According to official sources, Arunachal Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu recently raised the issue of unavailability of these drugs following. After this disclosure the DGCI intervened in the matter.
Seeing the possibility of it being a larger issue which may affect other smaller states and Union territories (UTs), the ministry asked the DCGI to ascertain how many states and UTs have been covered and which of them are left, as far as the availability and distribution of these drugs by the respective companies is concerned, officials said.
“I am directed to say that apart from availability, the geographical distribution/reach of the drugs included as part of investigational therapies in Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19, namely ‘Remdesivir’ and ‘Tocilizumab’, may also be monitored,” said a letter dated July 27 from the Health Ministry
“This ministry may kindly be apprised as to how many states and UTs have been covered and which of the states and UTs, if any, are left as far as the availability and distribution of these drugs by the respective companies is concerned,” the letter added.
The ministry has included the use of ‘Remdesivir’ (for restricted emergency use purposes) and off-label application of ‘Tocilizumab’ for treating COVID-19 patients in moderate stage of the illness as ‘investigational therapies’ in the updated Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19.
