Professor of Pharmacology of the University of Colombo Priyadarshani Galappatthy says stocks of the drug Tocilizumab that is currently scarce in hospitals, that is being used to treat COVID-19 patients, will arrive in the island this week.
Addressing a media briefing today, Prof. Galappatthy said there is a shortage of the drug owing to the demand across the world.
Prof. Galappatthy added the World Health Organisation recommended the drug as a second drug for COVID-patients adding that due to its high usage a shortage has been created.
She noted the drug was not manufactured to treat COVID-19 cases but for rheumatoid arthritis patients and received WHO approval in the year 2007.
Prof. Galappatthy claimed the medicine manufacturers are used to meeting the demand according to rheumatoid arthritis patients and not to treat COVID-19 infections.
She added the company has informed that they are facing difficulties in keeping up the supply with the demands from across the world.
Prof. Galappatthy also stated that the drug is not administered to all COVID-19 patients.
