The only anti-viral drug that can potentially treat the coronavirus, with emergency use authorisation, Remdesivir, will be available in the Indian market by the end of this month.
The Drug Controller General of India has recently approved Remdesivir to be used on severely ill and hospitalised coronavirus patients. It is soon to be domestically manufactured to ensure wide availability.
The drug as an injection is not recommended to those with severe renal problems, pregnant women, lactating women, and for children below the age of 12. However, each dosage of the medicine costs Rs.5,000. An injection costs the same. A patient who begins the course will have to take 11 dosages which takes the total amount to Rs.55,000.
“India is a fairly efficient market in terms of competition. Price will be a dynamic thing depending on demand and supply, but it will not be a bottleneck for patients. Today a patient is paying anything between Rs.35,000 and Rs.60,000 a day in hospitals. This drug reduces at least three to four days of one’s hospital stay. In that way, the drug will pay for itself,” said a licensee.
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