How Covid-19 injections are being sold illegally in Vizag

A few medical representatives and pharmacists are playing a major role in selling Covid-19 injections at the black market. Recently, a medical representative was found indulging in the illegal sale and black marketing of Tocilizumab and Bevacizumab injections used for Covid-19 patients at hospitals. Despite continuous raids by the Vigilance and Enforcement department to control the illegal sale of Covid-19 injections through the black market, it is found that the staff at some pharmacies and even private hospitals in Vizag are blocking the injections, and they are being sold outside illegally at a higher price. 

As the cases have increased in Vizag and the demand for Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Bevacizumab injections has risen, there are many Covid-19 affected families buying it for double and even triple the price. Unavailability of the injections at hospitals and local pharmacies is making people desperate where there has been a middleman to get them the injections but at much higher prices. For such middlemen, families whose dear ones are at high risk of Covid-19 are the target. After Remdesivir injections which were sold for exorbitant prices, now comes other Covid-19 injections which are advised for critical patients at the hospitals. Not surprising that many have bought the injection from other states like New Delhi. 

Krishna, whose mother is under critical condition affected with Covid-19, was advised to get a Tocilizumab injection immediately but they couldn’t find even one vial available in the city. “While the MRP price is around Rs. 49,000, after many contacts, we were told the injection will be available for Rs 1 lakh and it takes a day to get it from New Delhi. Fortunately, we got an unused injection from our friend at the MRP rate. The situation is bad in the city that even patients who cannot afford are forced to buy at the demanded rate,” said Krishna, whose mother is being treated at a private hospital. 

As per the government regulations, any patient who requires a Remdesivir injection at private hospitals is told to give a prescription advising for the injection along with the details of the patient. Once the letter is given to the Drug Control Officer, the injection can be bought at the MRP rate of Rs. 2,700. After administering the injection, hospital authorities should send back used vials to the Drug Control office. In reality, there is no such procedure being followed by hospitals in Vizag which is leading to these injections being sold illegally. 

Speaking to Yo! Vizag, Additional SP of Vigilance and Enforcement Department, G Swaroopa Rani said that they have been coming across many pharmacists who are blocking Tocilizumab and Bevacizumab injections used for patients under critical condition. As per the rules, they should sell the medicine only if the patient shows a medical prescription and an Aadhaar card but nothing like that is happening. “When a patient attendee visits pharmacy for these injections, they are informed about no stock being available of the injection. But it is actually a scam by a few pharmacies. There would be a person near the medical shop who observes the situation and asks if they require the injection in black.  There are areas where Bevacizumab injections for Rs. 10 lakh and Tocilizumab injection are sold in black for Rs. 2-3 lakh,” said Swaroopa. 

While both injections are for Covid-19 patients, Tocilizumab is sold in private pharmacies and Bevacizumab injection is sold at the pharmacies with less availability. “The demand for injections is not balanced with the number of Covid-19 patients who require the medicine. Taking this as a chance, pharmacies are selling the injection to a middleman from where it is sold for exorbitant prices to the common man,” Swaroopa added.