Govt says Covid-19 drug Remdesivir will sell at set price, ups production

The Centre has decided to increase production of anti-viral drug Remdesivir and it will be provided to people at government's price, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday.

This comes after several cases of blackmarketing of Remdesivir came to light amid the COVID-19.

"There was a shortage of Remdesivir injection. Because of this, incidents of black marketing took place, several people lost their lives as they have not received Remdesivir, so we decided to increase its production," Gadkari said.

"But we tried (and to got manufacturing rights), Remdesivir will be provided to people at government's price. Now, I think there will be no black marketing or no person will die due to lack of it, there is no reservation, can be provided to other states when there will be surplus," he added.

Gadkari on Thursday visited the Genetic Life Sciences (pharmacy) in Wardha to oversee the production of Remdesivir injections.

There are currently 35,66,398 active cases in the country, as per Union Health Ministry.