Bhubaneswar: The Directorate of Drugs Control, Odisha today allowed the retail sale of Covid-19 drugs Remdesivir and Fevipiravir as per the directives of the Drugs Controller General India (DCGI). However, both the COVID drugs will be sold on certain conditions.
DCGI has directed that the Fevipiravir tablets and Remdesivir injectable formulation will be sold under the prescription of medical specialists only. The drug will be available to the patient or his representative only through in-house retail chemists attached to the hospitals or the nursing homes having valid drug licenses.
Immunologist Jyoti Ranjan Parida expressed his happiness over the development. “It has been observed that Covid patients having Oxygen saturation problem and breathing problem are being given Fevipiravir tablets and Remdesivir injectable formulation from the very first day itself; and it helps restrict acute problems,” Parida stated.
“If people will access the medicines easily, they will not require hospital beds and can be treated while in home isolation,” he added.
However, doctor’s prescription and informed consent of the patient or his representative in the prescribed form is mandatory before initiating the treatment and providing him medicines.
A guideline regarding the same has been issued that the retail chemist shop will have to mandatorily retain a photocopy of the prescription, written consent of the patient or his/her representative, residential proof of the purchaser and contact details before the supply of the medicines as a record for verification.
It has been directed that the stockists and retail chemists will inform the Drugs Inspectors about their purchase and sale details from time to time. The guidelines will be followed strictly and local drug inspector will be its abiding authority.
Read More:
COVID-19: Anti-Fibrotic Drugs Effective On Patients, Says Army
Researchers Identify 21 Existing Drugs That Could Treat COVID-19