Need for compulsory licence for generic production of Remdesivir: OMAG to PM Modi

Remdesivir has a price range from Rs 2,800 to 5,400 among different companies

Amid a pan-India zoom of Covid-19 cases, the Organised Medicine Academic Guild (OMAG) has urged the Centre to allow compulsory licence for generic production of Remdesivir, broad-spectrum antiviral drug.

Though Maharashtra is registering high numbers as on now, the situation is equally bad in several states and as the situation unfolds, it will be clearer, said Dr IS Gilada, the secretary general of OMAG, the umbrella organisation of 15 professional medical associations representing 2,50,000 post-graduate doctors.

Read | Government asks drug makers to ramp up Remdesivir production to full capacity

The OMAG also wrote a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi suggesting the steps that need to be taken.

The only medicines that work in Covid-19 are steroids and Remdesivir.

“The patent owner Gilead had given licence to six Indian pharmaceuticals. There is an acute shortage of Remdesivir injections, possibly due to hoarding and racketeering, especially in Maharashtra. This will have cascading effects in rest of India,” he said.

It has MRP range from Rs 2,800 to 5,400 among different companies whereas procurement rates at hospitals range between Rs 600 to 1,000.

Read | Maharashtra to cap Remdesivir price as Covid-19 rages

After OMAG pointed out this discrepancy, the Maharashtra government has once again capped the price to Rs 1,000 to 1,400 per injection. Each eligible patient needs six doses and is required only for treating moderate or severe Covid cases.

Dr Gilada urged Modi to Remdesivir in Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), as is done for other life-saving medicines. This will help reduce MRP to a reasonable level and remove buffer margins and scope for black-marketing.

He suggested granting a Compulsory Licence under section 84 of Indian Patents Act, 1970 to ramp-up Remdesivir production. It can bring-down procurement cost to below Rs 500 per vial, to save lakhs of Indian Covid patients as also several more globally; who will benefit from made-in-India generic Remdesivir.

“Rationalise use of Remedesivir with strict adherence to guidelines. Make multiple Remdesivir stores or Remdesivir Banks with strict sales control,” he said.

He also suggested that racketeering of Remdesivir be made punishable under the Epidemic Act.