Who supplied US firm's remdesivir for Nipah treatment in Kerala? KMSCL to probe

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) will conduct an internal inquiry into the use of remdesivir manufactured by US pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences in the treatment of Nipah patients, following questions over its procurement and supply.

According to the register maintained by the Kozhikode Medical College, 690 vials of Gilead's remdesivir were received on January 1, 2022. Of these, 10 vials were administered to Nipah patients on September 13, 2023. Another 256 vials were subsequently supplied to patients in different phases.

However, records detailing from whom the medicine was procured, the quantity purchased and when it reached KMSCL have not been found. Officials said records relating to other medicines and medical equipment procured during the same period were available.

The vials were labelled for clinical trial use only. Such vials are required to carry details of the patient receiving the drug, the prescribing doctor's name and the treatment protocol followed. The manufacturing date was not mentioned on the vials, although their expiry date was listed as September 2025.

Remdesivir is the name of the antiviral drug molecule. The vials received in Kerala carried only the molecule's name and did not mention a brand name. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved Gilead's remdesivir under the brand name Veklury on October 22, 2020, nearly two years before the vials reached Kerala.

There had been speculation that the medicine was procured by the Central government through Hindustan Lifecare Limited (HLL) during the COVID pandemic and subsequently supplied to KMSCL. However, HLL officials have clarified that the company did not procure or supply Gilead's remdesivir.

CAG flags expired medicines in hospitals
Meanwhile, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged instances of expired medicines being administered to patients in several hospitals across Kerala.

The findings were based on an analysis of data from 2016-17 to 2021-22 covering 26 hospitals. Expired medicines were found to have been issued to hospital wards on 60 occasions, with the total value estimated at ₹89 lakh, according to the report released last year.

The CAG observed that changes in the chemical composition of medicines after their expiry could pose serious risks to patients, potentially endangering their lives.

Political reactions
CPM Central Committee member and former health minister K K Shailaja dismissed allegations that expired medicines had been administered to Nipah patients.
"The allegations that expired medicines were given to Nipah patients are baseless. Such claims are being made to cover up the current mismanagement in the Health Department," she said.

Health Minister K Muraleedharan said he was willing to face a breach of privilege notice if he had misled the Assembly.
"If I have misled the Assembly, let them move a breach of privilege notice. Experts will investigate the matter. If the medicines had expired, action will be taken," he said.