Mumbai cops, FDA seize Remdesivir hoards

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Continuing the drive against hoarders, the Maharashtra Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) along with Mumbai Police raided two locations and seized large stocks of the much-in-demand Remdesivir injections, an official said here on Tuesday.In the first instance, the police-FDA teams swooped on the premises of an exporter and recovered 2,000 vials of Remdesivir from Marol in Andheri east.In the second action, the teams raided another exporter based in Marine Lines, south Mumbai and seized 200 vials of the injection."These (2,200) vials of Remdesivir have been taken into possession by the FAD and shall be distributed for use by government hospitals," said Deputy Commissioner of Police and Mumbai Police Spokesperson Chaitanya S.He added that these stocks of Remdesivir were manufactured for export purposes but owing to the current ban, they were "kept stocked" by the export firms, but now the FDA is diverting them for public use by following the necessary protocols.Presently, Maharashtra is facing a massive scarcity of Remdesivir and despite the Centre last week ordering price control on the injection, the supplies remain erratic.
--IANS qn/dpb