Remdesivir 'not for home use', Centre says amid rise in demand© timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Remdesivir 'not for home use', Centre says amid rise in demand

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WITH A shortage of antiviral Remdesivir being reported from several parts of the country, the Centre on Tuesday flagged “irrational use” of the drug, urging physicians to judiciously use it only on Covid patients on oxygen support.

“It is an investigational drug. Its role has been clearly defined in the clinical management protocol. There is no question of the use of Remdesivir in home settings. That is unethical. It is only required for those hospitalised patients who are on oxygen. That is the pre-condition,” said Dr V K Paul, head of India’s Covid-19 task force.

“There have been reports of shortage but there have been improvements. It can only be supplied to a hospital, not a chemist shop to be procured by a patient. The lines for procurement [of Remdesivir] are a distortion… We request rationale and judicious use of Remdesivir,” he said.