NAGPUR: In April and May, when the Covid-19 second wave had wrecked havoc in the city, people had mortgaged gold, land and properties to purchase costly medicines like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab which were also sold in the black market.
Now, these medicines are hardly moving off the shelf.
With the second wave ebbing and demand for various medicines nosediving, pharmacists have returned some of the stock to the manufacturers but they can’t do the same for non-returnable ones like Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Bevacizumab.
Unless the requirement for Covid-related drugs shoot up in case the third wave strikes, pharmacists would be helpless once these drugs cross the expiry date.
The demand for anti-fungal drugs has also gradually declined due to slight fall in cases of mucormycosis in the region.
Unlike six doses of Remdesivir and one for Tocilizumab prescribed for Covid patients, up to 60-120 vials of Amphotericin B per patient are needed for treating mucormycosis.
Hospitals are still sending their requisition for Amphotericin B to the collector’s office.
“We are not sending any requirement for Remdesivir and Tocilizumab as already some stock is left with us,” said Dr Anup Marar of Orange City Hospital.
Genetek Lifesciences Private Limited based in Wardha has stopped production of Remdesivir.
Its proprietor Dr Mahendra Kshirsagar said the formulation is now readily available with them and they can kick-start production on demand any time.
Hetal Thakkar, secretary of Nagpur Druggists and Chemists Association, said Remdesivir started losing it demand after WHO removed it from medicines prescribed for Covid.
“At least 5,000 vials of Remdesivir would be available with stockists or distributors, carrying and forwarding agents and at the depots.
Only time will tell what would happen to these drugs which have limited shelf life,” he said.
Favipiravir was another most sought-after drug for Covid.
“From around 10-12 strips per day, its demand increased to more than 3,000 strips per day in April.
During the peak, Favipiravir stock would get exhausted in no time,” said Thakkar.
Sunil Balani, stockist and retailer, who also co-owns Jai Baba Medical Stores, recalled delivering 50 vials of Remdesivir to a hospital at Sakoli on May 26 and another 52 to Kunal Hospital in city on May 16.
“There has been no movement thereafter.
Another common Covid medicine Faviflu, which once had an extremely high demand, doesn’t even find a mention in prescriptions today,” said Balani.
Murlidhar Kewalramani of Suresh Medical Stores said that even high power steroids like Dexamethasone have no takers now.