Indian Pharmas Want Govt To Get APIs From China

Indian pharma companies have asked the government to airlift from China key active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) required to make hydroxychloroquine — one of the drugs recommended to treat severe Covid-19 patients and frontline healthcare workers.

IPCA Labs, Zydus Takeda, Mangalam Drugs & Organics and Wallace Pharma are among the manufacturers of this drug that are looking at an erratic supply chain of these drugs.

Some companies said the price of the bulk drug has shot up almost three-fold to Rs 20,000 per kg from Rs 7,000 per kg in February.

The government has told pharma companies that it would take over their manufacturing plants if they stop producing these drugs at this crucial time.