HYDERABAD: In a startling find, police discovered that some of the people involved in black marketing of anti-viral drug Remdesivir are those who earlier procured the injection for their near and dear ones for Covid-19 treatment.
As of now, hospitals continue to use Remdesivir in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
With their kin either recovering from the infection or falling prey to it, they no longer need the vital vials and are now resorting to illegal sale to make a quick buck.
However, some of them landed in the police net.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (Task Force) G Chakravarthy said in some cases which they had busted in connection with illegal sale of Remdesivir, they nabbed persons related to Covid-19 patients.
“When their kin, afflicted with Covid-19, were in need of Remdesivir, they had bought the injections, which were not easy to get due to its heavy demand.
However, when their kin recovered before the full course of medication or died while undergoing treatment, the patient’s relatives are selling the leftover injections at higher price in the black market,’’ Hyderabad police said.
Though the cost of each Remdesivir injection is Rs 3,490 per unit, some tried to sell the unused drug for Rs 15,000 a vial.
In at least five cases, relatives of Covid-19 patients were nabbed and the drug vials were seized.
In some cases, police found the prospective sellers tried to pass it on to patients in need at the same price they had procured earlier.
Police, however, warned them and let them off as trading in the drug is illegal.
Remdesivir is sold by pharmacists only after collecting a patient’s Aadhaar details, Covid-19 positive report, prescription and other documents from the hospital.
“As per the rule, the pharmacists should report back to the drug distributors to whom they had supplied Remdesivir,’’ Task Force inspector S Raghavendra said.