The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, on Monday, highlighted through its twitter account, a government order notified on April 4 that completely prohibits export of Hydroxychloroquine from India, without any exceptions.
The timing of the NPPA’s tweet is important as US President Donald Trump, at a White House press conference on Saturday, said that he had sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s help for release of the orders of Hydroxychloroquine placed by the US.
Modi and Trump had a teleconference to discuss Covid-19 issues on Saturday.
“Prime Minister Modi did not make any commitments to the US President for releasing the Hydroxychloroquine ordered by the country. At this time of crisis, national interest is of paramount importance, and any decision on the matter will be taken after due consideration,” a government official told BusinessLine .
On March 25, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had already passed a notification prohibiting the export of Hydroxychloroquine — an anti-malarial drug that is now being widely used to treat the coronavirus.
However, there were a few exceptions to the ban which includes allowing exports of orders placed before the notification of the ban, exports on humanitarian grounds and exports from Special Economic Zones.
On April 4, the DGFT amended the earlier notification and prohibited exports of Hydroxychloroquine completely without any exceptions.
“The export of Hydroxychloroquine and formulations made from Hydroxychloroquine....is no longer allowed from SEZs/EOUs or against Advance Authorisations or under the Para 1.05(b) of Foreign Trade Policy 2015-10 or against full advance payment as specified in Para 2 of the Notification (dated March 25 2020). The export of Hydroxychoroquine and formulations made from Hydroxychloroquine, therefore, shall remain prohibited, without any exception,” the notification stated.