Question : Black Marketing of COVID-19 Medicines

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken action against medicine companies manufacturing COVID-19 injections like Remdesivir and Amphotericin for manipulating their production and stock to create artificial shortage and encourage black marketing during the peak of COVID-19 infections, thereby causing losses of lives;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to conduct an audit of these companies in order to gather evidence and punish them; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)
(a) to (d): Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regulates quality, safety and efficacy of Drugs, Medical Device and Cosmetics in the country under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules made thereunder. CDSCO has been monitoring production and supplies of the Covid-19 drugs in respect of the concerned manufacturers on regular basis.
CDSCO has granted approval to 40 additional manufacturing sites of Remdesivir on fast track basis during April-June 2021 increasing the capacity of production from 38.8 lakhs/month in April 2021 to 122.49 lakhs/month in June 2021. Similarly, in case of Liposomal Amphotericin B injection manufacturing permissions were granted by CDSCO to 11 additional manufacturers, on fast track basis, increasing the production capacity and supplies of the drug. Further, fast track permissions were also granted for import of these drugs from various sources in accordance with Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules there under.
Department of Pharmaceuticals/CDSCO/National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) have jointly monitored the production and availability of drugs like Remdesivir and Amphotericin-B etc. in light of COVID-19 pandemic situation.
Licenses for manufacture, sale and distribution of drugs are granted by the State Licensing Authorities (SLAs) appointed by respective State Governments. SLAs are legally empowered to take stringent action against violation of provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules made thereunder.
As regards black-marketing issues, CDSCO has requested all States/UTs Licensing Authorities through several advisories to instruct their enforcement staff to keep strict vigil especially at sensitive places and to take stringent action against the offenders by conducting special drive of monitoring and investigation.
As per information available from various State Licensing Authorities, in case of black-marketing/hoarding/ overcharging of COVID-19 management drugs, various enforcement actions like Drug seizure, Arrests of accused persons/ registration of FIR etc. have been carried out by the State Licensing Authorities.