Supply of Remdesivir Surpasses Demand, Govt Stops Central Allocation of the Drug

The Centre has stopped allocating antiviral drug Remdesivir to states as the supply of the critical medication has been ramped up over ten times from just 33,000 vials a day on April 11, 2021, to 3,50,000 vials per day currently. 50 lakh vials of the anti-drug will be maintained as a strategic stock for an emergency requirement. 

"The country has enough #Remdesivir as the supply has surpassed the demand. So we have decided to discontinue the central allocation of Remdesivir to states," Union Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya said in a tweet.

The government has also increased the number of plants producing Remdesivir from just 20 to 60 plants within a month, he added.

" I have also directed @nppa_india & @CDSCO_INDIA_INF to monitor the availability of Remdesivir in the country," he noted.

To augment domestic availability and reduce the cost of Remdesivir, the government has waived customs duty on the injection, its raw materials, and other components. 

On April 11, given the increased demand for Remdesivir, the Centre banned the export of the injection and its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) till the situation improves.

Various drug companies have also cut the prices of Remdesivir injection following the intervention of the government.