Keeping in view the surge of Covid-19 cases in the state, the Odisha government on Saturday allowed the sale of Favipiravir tablet and Remdesivir injectable formulation in stores for the treatment of coronavirus patients.
Directorate of Drugs Control, Odisha in accordance with the direction of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), issued an order allowing the market sale of the medicines under the prescription of medical specialists only, an official said.
It said the drugs will be available to the patient or patients representative following furnishing residence proof.
"Informed consent of the patient or his/her representative in the prescribed form is mandatory before initiating the treatment," the order said
The order also said that the drug will be made available to the patient/his representative only through in- house retail chemists attached to hospitals/nursing homes having valid drug licences.
Where there is no in-house retail chemist shop in the hospital/ nursing home, the local Drugs Inspector will identify one or more retail chemist shop through whom the drugs will be made available, it said.
The retail chemist shop will mandatorily retain a photocopy of the prescription, photocopy of written consent of the patient or his/her representative, residential proof of the purchaser and his/her contact details before supply of the medicines as record for verification in addition to fulfilment of other conditions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules.
Remdesivir formulations are required to be supplied for use only to the hospitals/institutions to ensure proper use of the drug under the Restricted Emergency Use. In no case Remdesivir formulation is to be sold to any patient/his representative directly, it said.
The retail chemist shall furnish details of purchase/ sell of the above drugs to the respective range Drugs Inspector on a weekly basis, the order said, adding that in case there is no in-house chemist shop attached to any hospital/ nursing home, the drug inspector is to identify one or more standalone stockist and retail chemist to facilitate supply of the drugs.