Pune: Tocilizumab, the vital drug proving effective in reducing mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring ICU support, is in short supply not just in Pune or Mumbai, but the entire state. What is more worrying is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials are saying that the shortage will continue for now. As a result, relatives of such patients in need of this injection will have to wait and hope that the patient does not suffer while the supply is restored.
Mumbai FDA Commissioner Arun Unhale said, "There are 18 thousand Remdesivir injections available in stock in the state. Tocilizumab injection will not be available as of now. FDA is conducting raids to prevent any sale on the black market. There is an abundant supply of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits, masks and sanitisers."
FDA has been taking action across the state to curb the black market of drugs which are proving useful for the treatment of COVID-19. In the last four months, the FDA has carried out 84 raids in Mumbai and its suburbs. Several items including medicines worth Rs 2.74 crore has been seized by FDA officials in these raids.
With the rise of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, it has become evident that Tocilizumab, Remdesivir injections and masks, sanitizers and PPE kits are being sold at an exorbitant price on the black market. FDA officials have seized hand sanitisers during 51 raids and masks in 11 raids. More than 19 suspects have been arrested during these raids. The shortage of Tocilizumab injection is so acute that the injection which is normally available for Rs 33 thousand is being sold at Rs 1 lakh in the black market.
Myra, a relative of a patient admitted in Pune said, "Doctors treating the patient have asked us to arrange for Tocilizumab injection, but it is not available in Pune, Mumbai or any other city in the state. We spoke to all the distributors whose list was published by the FDA recently, but they told us that the injection is not available. We were told that the Hinduja hospital in Mumbai would be having a stock, but the hospital said that it is only for patients admitted at their facility."
