India lifts ban on export of hydroxychloroquine

  • IASbaba
  • April 8, 2020
  • 0
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India lifts ban on export of hydroxychloroquine

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Health 

In News:

  • Indian government has ended its earlier ban on exporting of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

Key takeaways:

  • India would licence paracetamol and HCQ in appropriate quantities to all the neighbouring countries which are dependent on India’s capabilities
  • These essential drugs shall also be supplied to nations which are badly affected by the pandemic. 
  • Previously HCQ was placed on a restricted items list, and its export was completely banned in the first week of April.
  • U.S. President Donald Trump had warned India of retaliation from U.S. if it withheld supplies of HCQ. 

Important value additions:

Hydroxychloroquine

  • It is an anti-malarial drug.
  • It is now being used by many countries as a possible line of treatment for COVID-19.
  • It works by diminishing immune system’s response to viral infections. 
  • These dosages are also linked to instances of cardiac arrhythmia (Improper beating of the heart) and liver damage. 
  • A study in France showed that hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination with Azithromycin appeared to reduce virus levels quicker. 

Why Hydroxychloroquine was completely banned?

  • India imports Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) from China for the manufacture of drugs at cheaper costs.
  • The supply of APIs got affected due to COVID-19 outbreak in China.
  • To ensure that India’s doesn’t fall short of supply for its own citizens, the drug was banned from exporting.

For further information, refer to this link: Drug Secutity

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