Local pharmacies lobby for regular supply of Remdevisir to treat COVID patients

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica is hoping for a favourable response from the Ministry of Health to its advocacy for hospitals to have a regular supply of the anti-viral drug Remdevisir used to treat COVID-19 patients.

 

The drug is administered to patients with low oxygen levels.

 

However, in Jamaica, the drug which has to be ordered on a per prescription basis, is sourced from overseas and can take several days to be delivered.

 

Dr. Ernestine Watson, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica, said that delay could compromise clinical care for COVID-19 patients.

 

When contacted Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said it was aware of the concern and will issue a response.

 

Speaking Tuesday morning on TVJ's Smile Jamaica, Dr. Watson explained why the group felt it important to lobby the health ministry. 

 

"Why the public pharmacies and the private pharmacies have become involved is because the relatives of the patient want the drug, so they will try to get the drug. Once the hospital says 'we don't have it, or we have to get try to get it,' they are going to try to get it faster because they recognise that the family member needs the drug," she explained, pointing out that the process is the same for both public and private pharmacies as they "would have to apply to the government for the prescription to be approved to be brought into the country." 

 

In August, the Federal Drug Administration broadened the emergency use of Remdesivir to include all hospitalised COVID-19 patients and not just those who are critically ill. 

 

Dr. Watson has suggested that hospitals have a base supply of Remdesivir to treat at least six patients. 

 

"Now you need five days worth of medication to treat one patient. So therefore, we can say, let's have a base supply of six patients and once we get down to the last two patients, then we reapply again. But the important thing, whatever the minimum, they would agree to, we are asking that there would be a supply at hand in the hospitals for use by the specialists. We have some very highly qualified, reputable specialists. The University Hospital of the West Indies is a teaching hospital worldwide. It is acclaimed, you know, you it is considered to be one of the top universities worldwide, so we believe that our professionals are well capable and qualified to manage," she asserted.