The Sikkim government has denied the presence of any manufacturer of “Covipri” injection, which is falsely being circulated as the Remdesivir injection on social media.
Remdesivir injection is used to reduce the severity of the Covid-19 infection.
An image of “Covipri” packets, with the “Remdesivir” injection written on them, is being shared on Facebook.
Many users are claiming that the drug is available and people who need these for Covid patients can contact them.
The address given as manufacturer’s details is completely wrong.
Two places are mentioned Mettupalayam and Singtam with the claim that both are in Sikkim.
But while Singtam is in Sikkim, Mettupalayam is in Tamil Nadu.
Sikkim health and family welfare department in a letter to Drugs Controller General said, “With reference to product COVIPRI (Remdesivir) available in the market as labelled being manufactured in Sikkim. It is to inform you that the said firm is non-functional since November 2017.
“Further it is to inform you that no such manufacturing license number was issued, granted by our department and there is no place like Mettupalayam in our State,” the letter read.
Delhi Police recently arrested five people and unearthed a ‘pharmaceutical’ unit at Kothdwar in Uttarakhand manufacturing large quantities of fake Remdevisir injections (COVIPRI) sold at over Rs 25,000.
Police said that “Covipri” is a fake drug and not a Remdesivir injection.
According to police, the accused used the name of a different manufacturer and printed the address and other details on their own.
A police official said that though they’ve busted the racket, some injections may still be in circulation.