Hyderabad Police arrest 7 people, including 3 nurses, for black marketing COVID-19 drugs

The Hyderabad Police on Saturday arrested seven persons for illegal procurement and sale of COVID-19 antiviral drugs Covifor (Remdesivir) and Cipremi Injections at exorbitant prices. The arrested accused include three staff nurses at a private hospital, a pharmacy staff, and a salesman. The Police seized nine remdesivir (Covifor) injections of Hetero and one Cipremi injection of Cipla from their possession. 

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Based on a tip-off the Commissioner's Task Force conducted a raid in the limits of the Asif Nagar Police Station on Friday and arrested the seven accused who were procuring generic versions of Remdesivir and Cipremi injections used for antiviral medicine for COVID-19 patients, and selling the same on higher rates. The accused persons, along with seized material, were handed over to the SHO of the Asif Nagar Police Station for further action.

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The Hyderabad police informed that COVID-19 medicine is strictly meant for institutional or hospital sale only. The police said the Remdesivir drug comes with a consent form that has to be filled and signed by the patient/attendants and concerned doctor at the time of administration of the drug.

"It has been clearly mentioned on the box that the medicine is supposed to be meant for institutional/Hospital sale only. The Remdesivir drug comes with a consent form that has to be filled and signed by the patient/attendants and concerned doctor at the time of administration of drug.  A copy of the consent form has to be handed over to patient or attendants. It is the duty of the institution to ensure availability of consent form all the time especially during inspection by CDSCO/DCGI", read a press release by Hyderabad Police.

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COVID-19 situation in Telangana

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data Telangana has 42,496 total coronavirus cases out of which 13,388 are active cases. 28,705 people have recovered or discharged and 403 patients have succumbed to the lethal infection.

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(With inputs from ANI) (Representative image)