After Trump Tirade, India Says It Will Supply Vital Drugs To 'Nations Badly Affected'
India has on Tuesday softened its stance over the export ban on hydroxychloroquine tablets, touted by many as a potential cure for coronavirus, hours after US President Donald Trump threatened “retaliation” if New Delhi holds release of the drug.
India first confirmed that it has licensed paracetamol and hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities to all neighbouring countries and shortly afterwards, extended the supply to those countries which have been “badly affected” by the pandemic.
Trump has been badgering India to release the hold it put on drug exports to the US which has the highest coronavirus cases so far in the world. He said, “I spoke to him (PM Modi) on Sunday morning & I said we appreciate it that you are allowing our supply (of Hydroxychloroquine) to come out, if he doesn’t allow it to come out, that would be okay, but of course, there may be retaliation, why wouldn’t there be?” Earlier he had said: “They (India) make large amounts of hydroxychloroquine — very large amounts frankly. And I said — they had a hold because you know they have 1.5 billion people and they take a lot of it, and I said I would appreciate if they would release the amounts that we ordered and they are giving it serious consideration. But India makes a lot of it.” he said. “I said I would appreciate it if they would release the amounts that we ordered. And they are giving it serious consideration,” he added. Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malaria drug that some institutions are researching for a possible COVID-19 treatment. Yet there is little reliable evidence that the drug is effective at treating the novel coronavirus. However, the coronavirus crisis is so serious that more or less all countries have imposed a ban on the export of medicines, surgical equipment and other essential items. Meanwhile, the Central government has removed restrictions on the export of 12 essential medicines, including hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol, and 12 active pharmaceutical ingredients. Among the medicines from which the restriction has been removed are tinidazole, metronidazole, aciclovir, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and chloramphenicol.
We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would therefore discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) #COVID19 https://t.co/T4BPoXkLDM
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2020
Trump has been badgering India to release the hold it put on drug exports to the US which has the highest coronavirus cases so far in the world. He said, “I spoke to him (PM Modi) on Sunday morning & I said we appreciate it that you are allowing our supply (of Hydroxychloroquine) to come out, if he doesn’t allow it to come out, that would be okay, but of course, there may be retaliation, why wouldn’t there be?” Earlier he had said: “They (India) make large amounts of hydroxychloroquine — very large amounts frankly. And I said — they had a hold because you know they have 1.5 billion people and they take a lot of it, and I said I would appreciate if they would release the amounts that we ordered and they are giving it serious consideration. But India makes a lot of it.” he said. “I said I would appreciate it if they would release the amounts that we ordered. And they are giving it serious consideration,” he added. Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malaria drug that some institutions are researching for a possible COVID-19 treatment. Yet there is little reliable evidence that the drug is effective at treating the novel coronavirus. However, the coronavirus crisis is so serious that more or less all countries have imposed a ban on the export of medicines, surgical equipment and other essential items. Meanwhile, the Central government has removed restrictions on the export of 12 essential medicines, including hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol, and 12 active pharmaceutical ingredients. Among the medicines from which the restriction has been removed are tinidazole, metronidazole, aciclovir, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and chloramphenicol.
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