Coronavirus: India Has Become The Biggest Manufacturer Of Hydroxychloroquine
Not only India but the entire world is under the threat of coronavirus. This disease is rapidly infecting people. Unfortunately, there is no vaccination discovered yet for this pandemic.
Dozens of drug companies have rushed into the research project to develop an antibiotic of the disease. Though, we have not seen any positive outcome from those clinical trials that help to treat this infection.
In the rush of finding the accurate drug to treat the Coronavirus pandemic, one potential treatment has been flying, despite promising early and positive results. The medicine is Hydroxychloroquine, also known as Chloroquine, Quinine, Mefloquine and many more.
What is hydroxychloroquine?
The medicine Hydroxychloroquine is highly prescribed for the treatment of malaria that was first approved in the US in 1949. It is also used to treat discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis in patients who can’t be treated with other treatments. Basically , it is a prescribed drug and comes as an oral tablet.
Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine is used as a part of combination therapy, that simply means you need to take it with some other drug.
Why has hydroxychloroquine become so important?
Wondering, how just a malaria treatment medicine has become so important suddenly. Luckily, this is the only and potential treatment to treat Coronavirus as there is no vaccination for the same yet has been developed.
Is hydroxychloroquine effective as the treatment of COVID-19?
According to the report, two large studies have been conducted on the medicine to assess the effectiveness of the treatment of COVID-19. One of the studies is organised by the WHO (World Health Organisation) and India is the active part of the study. In this study, Doctors globally have been instructed to follow the usual procedure of treating patients with hydroxychloroquine.
The second study is a hydroxychloroquine accelerator trail, and it is being funded by the Melinda Gates, Bill and Wellcome Trust.
Quite difficult to say if it is effective or not but at this moment, when there is no vaccination for COVID-19 is in our hand, it is the only treatment which is coming handy for treating this infectious disease.
Why has India become the biggest manufacturer of hydroxychloroquine?
As Hydroxychloroquine is the only medicine to treat the infectious disease at the moment, the demand for it has been increased as the number of patients are getting double and triple in most countries day by day.
India has the capacity to quickly ramp up the output of this drug. Additionally, India manufactures 70% of the world supply of Hydroxychloroquine. India seized the golden opportunity to help other developed countries like the US, to supply this anti-malarial drug that is being touted as a game-changer in the fight against COVO19.
India has the largest production capacity ofHydroxychloroquine. The country can produce 40 tonnes of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) every month, implying 20 crore tablets of 200 mg each.
Many countries like the US were seeking this medicine from India. The biggest reason for that was these developed countries do not manufacture this drug because of non-existent malaria.
Hydroxychloroquine, as it is also known as Chloroquine, is one of the old and effective anti-malarial drugs with fewer side-effects. The drug is fairly inexpensive and can be brought over the medical shops.
The purchase of the drug has been restricted as it is specially used in the treatment of coronavirus. Recently India has withdrawn the restrictions imposed on the export of Hydroxychloroquine. Official reports suggested- India is now exporting this drug after meeting the domestic requirements to many friendly nations like the US, Brazil, Israel, Srilanka. State heads thanked the Indian Government for the help in this crisis situation and helmed India as a global savior.