Sub-standard quality Remdesivir withdrawn: Maharashtra Health Minister

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that a batch of Remdesivir, meant for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, was withdrawn for being of “sub-standard quality,” as per PTI report.

The Maharashtra health minister told reporters that the withdrawal of the medicine has caused a short-term shortage of the drug in the state.

Tope said, “A batch of Remdesivir medicine was found to be (of) substandard (quality) and has been withdrawn, resulting in a short term shortage in its supply.”

The Minister, however, quashed concerns over the shortage of Remdesivir by stating that the state government was coordinating with pharmaceutical companies over procuring the drug, and said that sufficient supply of the medicine would be made available at the earliest for COVID-19 patients.

“I spoke to collectors of various districts in the state and asked them to place orders of the medicine (Remdesivir) as per their respective requirement. Its supply will soon increase and patients will get their routine dosages,” the minister said.  

Tope further stated that Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar had personally stepped in and assured to arrange 1000 injections of Remdesivir in his personal capacity for the treatment of patients diagnosed for COVID-19.

Maharashtra currently has 2,72,809 active coronavirus cases and has seen as many as 33,500 deaths.