Providing huge relief to lakhs of coronavirus patients in the country, pharmaceutical companies have voluntarily reduced the price of Remdesivir injection. Pharmaceutical companies made this decision after the government intervened in the issue, and requested companies to reduce the maximum retail price of this life-saving drug.
Relief to Covid patients
The revised prices of major brands of Remdesivir injection are as follows.
On Friday, the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Department of Pharmaceuticals, NPPA - Advisor (Costs) N.I. Chowdhury had ordered all pharma companies to comply with the revised norms with immediate and retrospective effect.
"Based on the Form-V furnished regarding voluntary reduction in Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of Remdesivir, Manufacturers/Marketers of the Remdesivir are hereby directed to implement the revised MRP throughout the distribution chain w.e.f. 15.04.2021, irrespective of the batch numbers," the notification said, IANS reports.
Existing stocks will be sold under the revised price
Now, the pharma companies can sell even the existing stocks under the revised price, and it could benefit both the healthcare system and desperate patients.
The decision to drop the price of Remdesivir injection came just a day after Vinod Tiwari, a Maharashtra barrister demanded the Centre to immediately bring Remdesivir under the DPCO regime in view of its alleged shortages, black marketing, and corruption.
As pharmaceutical companies slashed the price of Remdesivir injection, Tiwari said that the government has understood the agony of millions who are struggling to get the injection.
"Now, with the MPR slashed to half and even lesser by some of the companies, people can breathe easy. It will also leash the pharma sector from exploiting the gullible masses in this critical time," Tiwari told IANS.
In the meantime, the second wave of coronavirus is pulling India into a state of chaos. On April 16, the country witnessed 2,34,692 positive coronavirus cases and 1,341 Covid-related deaths.
