New Delhi : Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has suspended three senior scientists at the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) and pulled up India’s Drugs Controller General VG Somani after an investigation found that the fake Remdesivir antiviral could be used to fight the brutal second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. were sold during
Although CDL is India’s top laboratory for conducting quality checks on drugs and vaccines, three scientists deliberately delayed conducting such tests on remdesivir, hailed as a wonder drug at one point, according to two senior government officials. he said.
The scientists submitted their report to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), but only after the expiry date of the sample. Mint previously reported about the drug’s adverse effect on patients’ immune systems.
In 2020, the apex drug regulator allowed restricted emergency use of remdesivir for Covid-19 patients. An injectable, remdesivir was one of the drugs used by former US President Donald Trump when he contracted the disease before the World Health Organization (WHO) warned against its use.
The development comes at a time when CDSCO has been hit by a bribery scandal allegedly involving a senior Biocon Biologics executive.
“CDL Kolkata is an apex laboratory for quality testing of life saving drugs, drugs and vaccines. They will have to submit the quality compliance report to CDSCO in a time bound manner. However, during the COVID pandemic, such reports were allowed to be submitted in a fast-track manner,” said one of the officials cited above.
“But in the case of Remdesivir, the report was deliberately delayed for nine months and submitted to the authorities when the expiry date of the drug was exceeded. During this time the drug was sold in the market. The Health Ministry was informed about this information last month, following which the Health Minister immediately constituted a team to investigate the matter.
A detailed investigation report has been handed over to Mandaviya.
During investigation, it was found that the sample of Remdesivir was fake and the three scientists were trying to hide the quality test report.
Another official with knowledge of the matter said, “The Health Ministry has now issued strict instructions to DCGI warning that such incidents should not happen again and they should regularly monitor the work of central laboratories responsible for quality check of life saving drugs. ordered to do. ,
Questions emailed to a health ministry spokesperson on Thursday morning remained unanswered till press time. Calls and text messages to DCGI Dr. Somani did not get revert.
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the rise of a highly permeable delta variant with a high mortality rate.
The period was marked by widespread panic amid severe shortage of both medicines and oxygen cylinders across the country.
While some stockpiled remdesivir, others bought it on the black market at exorbitant prices, which led to drug abuse.
This prompted the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Indian Council of Medical Research to jointly issue an advisory. He said remdesivir was to be used only in select moderate to severe hospitalized patients on supplemental oxygen, as it was a reserve drug that was strictly approved for emergency use based on limited scientific evidence globally.
The second official quoted above said, “The health ministry is very proactive and vigilant to ensure that no spurious and counterfeit medicines are sold. It is being monitored at the top level and strict action will be taken against the culprits.