Ensure equitable distribution of 'investigational therapy' drugs: Health Ministry to DCGI

Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Wednesday stressed on need for equitable distribution of drugs being used for "investigational rapies" across country directing  Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to ensure same. Health Ministry's move comes days after smaller states and UTs like Arunachal Presh, Dra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu wrote to Ministry seeking requirement of investigational rapy drugs. 

"I am directed to say that apart from availability, geographical distribution/reach of drugs included as part of investigational rapies in clinical manment protocol for COVID-19, namely, Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, may also be monitored," said a senior Health Official in a letter to DGCI.

" Ministry may kindly be apprised as to how many States/UTs have been covered and which of States/UTs, if any, are left as far as availability/distribution of se drugs by respective companies is concerned," re  letter. official ded that with timely intervention of DCGI, smaller States and Union Territories (UTs) h been provided with equate quantities of drugs under investigational rapy for treatment of COVID-19 patients. 

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When it comes to drugs being used in investigational rapy, India's drug regulator DGCI has allowed use of Itolizumab, a drug used to cure skin ailment psoriasis for "restricted emergency use" to treat COVID-19 patients. Itolizumab is first vel biologic rapy to be approved anywhere in world for treating patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 complications. Along with this, Remdesvir and disputed drug Hydroxychloroquine are also being used on an emergency basis for COVID patients with moderate to severe symptoms. 

India on Tuesday recorded 48,513 new cases of Coronavirus taking total number of cases in country to 15,31,669. Out of this, re are 5,09,447 active cases while 9,88,029 people have recovered. nation has recorded 34,193 deaths.

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(With ncy Inputs; Im Credit- PTI)