- Title: Indian pharma industry ramps up production of COVID-19 drug touted by Trump
- Date: 11th April 2020
- Summary: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA (APRIL 11, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN, PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY, ZYDUS CADILA, PANKAJ PATEL, SAYING: "We have sufficient supply available (of hydroxychloroquine ) for not only domestic market but even additional quantity required on a humanitarian ground to the world… we would be able to supply. Industry is ramping up further production, so, next month we are expecting even more production… so, my company (Zydus Cadila) will produce next month 30 tonnes of API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) equivalent to 15 crore (150 million) tablets" NEW DELHI, INDIA (APRIL 11, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) OFFICIALS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE ON COVID-19 CAMERAPERSONS RECORDING ON CAMERA REPORTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SCIENTIST, INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH (IMCR), RAMAN R. GANGAKHEDKAR, SAYING: "We (IMCR) are considering it (hydroxychloroquine tablets) as a prophylaxis medicine, and not as a treatment modality. The doctors should only use them or the contacts of the lab-confirmed cases." REPORTERS OFFICIALS WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 25th April 2020 17:23
- Keywords: Donald Trump IMCR India Narendra Modi U.S coronavirus hydroxychloroquine lockdown pharmacy
- Location: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT/ NEW DELHI, INDIA
- City: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT/ NEW DELHI, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA004C91Q3BJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The pharmaceutical industry in India, the world's main producer and supplier of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), will produce 200 million tablets this month, a leading producer of the drug said on Saturday (April 11).
There is a sudden and unexpected surge in demand for the drug as doctors and pharmacists are routinely using HCQ on patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
"We have sufficient supply (of HCQ ) available for not only domestic market but even additional quantity required on a humanitarian ground to the world… we would be able to supply," said, Pankaj Patel, Chairman of Zydus Cadila, one of the country's leading producer of the drug.
India is set to begin shipping the drug to the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump urged New Delhi to release supplies of the drug seen as a possible treatment for COVID-19.
Use of HCQ has soared as the United States has quickly become the epicenter of the pandemic. More than 355,000 people in the United States have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and more than 10,000 have died. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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