Remdesivir price cut by half

New Delhi: Spelling huge relief for lakhs of Covid-19 patients, the Union government has slashed the prices of the 'life-saver' Remdesivir injection by nearly 50 per cent, to MRP Rs 2,450 per injection now, according to official sources.

In a missive late on Friday, the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Department of Pharmaceuticals, NPPA - Advisor (Costs) N I Chowdhury has ordered all pharma companies to comply with the revised norms with immediate and retrospective effect.

"Based on the Form-V furnished regarding voluntary reduction in MRP of Remdesivir, Manufacturers/Marketers of the Remdesivir are hereby directed to implement the revised MRP throughout the distribution chain wef 15.04.2021, irrespective of the batch numbers," the stern notification said.

The decision came barely a day after a Maharashtra Barrister Vinod Tiwari demanded that the Centre should immediately bring Remdesivir under the DPCO regime in view of its alleged shortages.