Hydroxychloroquine, the only drug having promising results in the COVID-19 Pandemic situation, there is an unprecedented spike in the demand of Hydroxychloroquine API (active pharmaceutical ingredient— meaning the raw material). The prices of the API have increased from Rs. 8000/- per Kg to Rs. 65,000/- per kg. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that the NPPA (National Product Pricing Authority) India has fixed the Maximum Selling Price of Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg Tab to Rs. 5.56/- per Tablet.
The Impact of the above equation is that at Rs. 65,000/- per Kg, the cost of API per tablet would be Rs. 13/- per tablet and the MRP cannot be more than Rs. 5.56/- per tablet, making it completely unviable to produce Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg Tab for Indian Market.
If this issue is not addressed immediately by the policy makers, we would be a nation supplying Hydroxychloroquine to 70% of the world and having nothing for its citizens. Thankfully the COVID-19 Pandemic is in a pause mode in India due to strict implementation of nation-wide lockdown but with precedents of what COVID-19 has done globally, that too to nations with best healthcare infrastructures, we can’t afford to export our Wonder-Drug without providing it for the well-being of each and every citizen of India. With the strict policy of Nation-wide lockdown, the Policy-makers have made it loud and clear that Citizen’s life is more important than the economic growth / profit. I hope that the loop-hole in the Policy of Hydroxychloroquine is immediately looked into and taken care of by the Policy-makers keeping in mind that the Citizen’s
