Telangana DCA nod to six new units to make Hydroxychloroquine

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Drugs Control Association (DCA) has issued licences to six new pharma units to manufacture Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on war footing. According to the DCA, 17 units are already making the formulation besides the six that were issued licences on Monday. Only one company is producing the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of the product in Telangana.
Drug control authorities are pulling down stocks of the anti-malarial drug from forwarding agents and in some cases retailers too.“The local drug controller took away all the stocks of HCQ. But depending on needs of malaria patients, we are getting them on a case-to-case basis,” Venkatapathy, a pharmacist from Miryalaguda told TOI.
Drug officials said there was a ban on exports and that they had collected stock for prophylactic use for doctors and other staff treating Covid 19 cases. On April 4, Director General of Foreign Trade while amending export policy of HCQ stated: “The export of Hydroxychloroquine and formulations is no longer allowed from SEZs and export-oriented units. Without any exception Hydroxychloroquine is prohibited.”
In a circular to all pharma units, distributors and retail shops, DCA director Dr Preeti Meena said: “Manufacturing activity of medicines, medical equipment and ancillary products and entire related supply chain, transportation, shall remain in operation...”