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
