Coronavirus pandemic | Maharashtra govt procures 60,000 vials of Remdesivir for COVID-19 patients

Amid reports that COVID-19 drug Remdesivir is being black-marketed at almost four times its retail price, the Maharashtra government has placed an order for 60,000 vials of the medicine. The government has also placed an order for six lakh tablets of Favipiravir and 20,000 vials of Tocilizumab.

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The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) placed the order for the Remdesivir vials at Rs 3,392.48 per vial, while Tocilizumab was acquired at Rs 30,870 per vial, and Favipiravir at Rs 1999.20 per strip. According to an India Today report, the total drug order will cost the Maharashtra government Rs 20 crore, and the drugs could be procured at the same rate throughout the year.

Exclusive: COVID-19 drug Remdesivir in short supply, prices go up by 6x in black market

Maharashtra, which continues to be the worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, has reported over three lakh COVID-19 cases and several complaints have been coming in about a shortage of these life-saving drugs in the state.

Govt asks Remdesivir manufacturers to increase production as complaints of black marketing rise

 To regulate the demand for the drug and stop black marketing, the Food and Drug Administration had made it mandatory for COVID-19 patients to produce their Aadhaar card and a prescription if they wish to purchase Remdesivir.

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