Categories: CoronavirusWorld News

India Lifts Export Ban On Hydroxychloroquine

(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 20, 2020 a bottle and pills of Hydroxychloroquine sit on a counter at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah. GEORGE FREY / AFP

 

India Thursday fully lifted an export ban on hydroxychloroquine, a drug favored by US President Donald Trump as a treatment against coronavirus, as questions remain over the malaria medicine’s effectiveness against COVID-19.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notice that “hydroxychloroquine and its formulations” were now “free” to be exported.

India accounts for 70 percent of global production of hydroxychloroquine, which is also used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The South Asian nation of 1.3 billion in late March banned exports of the drug, citing domestic needs.

But it partially lifted the prohibition in early April after Trump hinted at “retaliation”, allowing for licensing for export of the drug to countries in need.

Brazil, Germany and a number of South Asian and African nations were reported to have been among those to ask India for major supplies of the medicine amid the contagion.

India’s top biomedical research body has backed the use of the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine as a preventive against coronavirus.

On Wednesday the World Health Organisation announced that hydroxychloroquine could be ruled out as treatment for hospitalised patients.

But it recognised that ongoing trials may show that the drugs have some value as a preventative measure.

 

Emmanuel Egobiambu

Disqus Comments Loading...
Share
Published by
Emmanuel Egobiambu

Recent Posts

Six Enugu Assembly LP Members Defect To PDP

Those who defected are Ejike Eze, (Igbo-Eze North 1);  Johnson Ugwu (Enugu North) Princess Ugwu…

7 mins ago

LP’s BoT Takes Over Party, Insists Abure’s Tenure Has Expired

The LP and the NLC have been at loggerheads recently, with the latter accusing the…

17 mins ago

Alleged Fraud: FCT Court Discharges, Acquits Adoke In OPL 245 Trial

Justice Kutigi said the EFCC failed to prove its charges of fraud, bribery and money…

1 hour ago

Eniola Ajao Dumps Bobrisky As Best-Dressed, Announces New Winners With ₦1m Gift

Although Eniola had since apologised for the stunt gone wrong, she took to her social…

2 hours ago

NUJ, IPI, NGE Call On Tinubu To ‘Punish’ Those Behind Olatunji’s Detention

Olatunji was arrested in his Abule Egba residence in Lagos State in mid-March with his…

2 hours ago

Troops Neutralize Terrorists, Recover Arms, Rustled Cattle In Borno, Katsina

Military authorities say the troops are still sustaining offensive operations to clear terrorists in the…

2 hours ago