Chennai: In the midst of the wave in mucormycosis cases and deficiency of drug to treat the infection in Tamil Nadu, the Drugs-Control Department fast-tracked process to grand licenses to companies. A pharmaceutical company in Hosur was given a license for the making of Lysosomal Amphotericin B, the anti-fungal drug that is used for healing mucormycosis infection.
Conversing to Express, K Sivabalan, Director of Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department, said, “Mylan company in Hosur applied for a license to manufacture Amphotericin B. They applied on May 18 and the same day permission was granted after scrutinising the file. We also told them to supply the drug to TN after manufacturing.”
As per the drug inspectors in Chennai, Amphotericin B is not available in the entire city. As a result, many private hospitals are striving. On Friday, a 26-year-old man, infected with mucormycosis, was moved from a private hospital in Thanjavur to Chennai after his condition worsened waiting for the drug. The hospital in Thanjavur had prescribed 60 vials (50 mg) but the family could get only one vial. An official with the Drugs Control Department said, “The drug is in short supply and currently unavailable in Chennai. I managed to source two vials for a patient two days ago.
The doctors opened the patient’s face for surgery and they found black fungus. Then, after much struggle managed to get two vials,” the official said. “Before the pandemic, there was less use of the drug. Many pharmacies and hospitals do not store it. But now, the demand has risen suddenly. There is a shortage,” said a drug inspector. Price varies from around Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 a 50 ml vial, said the inspectors.
In the meantime, Sivabalan also sent a letter to district officials to find their drug requirement and place orders with producers. “This should ease the situation for private hospitals in the State,” he said. As per a senior health official, the TN Medical Services Corporation procures drugs from Bharat Serums and Vaccine Limited in Mumbai, Cipla, and also from Mylan. Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan on Thursday said Amphotericin B is available in government hospitals and that the State placed an order for 5,000 vials of the drug.
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