Pharma industry steps up to cure black marketing of Covid-19 drugs

Some firms are now considering starting their own distribution centres in major cities

Rohit Kumar’s (name changed) elder brother, admitted in the ICU of a private Delhi hospital for Covid complications, was critical and needed tocilizumab. However, all hell broke loose when the hospital ran out of doses and asked him to arrange for the same.

“I made 60 calls from 9.00am to 11.00pm to get a pack of tocilizumab, which contained 4 pre-filled syringes. The MRP was Rs 45,000, but I ended up paying Rs 54,000, which was the best deal I got,” he said, adding that one of the vendors had put a price tag of Rs 92,000.

Agents and distributors