Over 28,000 vials with remdesivir purchased – health ministry

Ukrainian Deputy Health Minister for European Integration Ihor Ivashchenko says Ukraine has purchased more than 28,000 vials with the anti-viral drug remdesivir for the treatment of 4,700 COVID-19 patients.

The official made the comment during a briefing on October 26, as reported by an UNIAN correspondent.

Last week, the Health Ministry greenlighted imports of the unregistered remdesivir drug, which is included in the domestic clinical protocol for treatment of coronavirus patient. Thus, the State Enterprise Medical Procurement of Ukraine made the relevant purchases.

According to Ivashchenko, the drug remdesivir can only be used in cases stipulated by the protocol.

In particular, the drug is used in the United States, Japan, Australia and certain EU countries. Most of them included it in the protocol for emergency use in treatment of COVID-19 patients (France, Spain, Croatia, Romania, USA, Japan, and Australia).

Read alsoUkrainian vaccine for COVID-19 may be ready in about 12 months – ministerOn October 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment.

"The first batch with 14,000 vials is expected to have been supplied to Ukraine by the end of the week. In total, 28,200 vials of the drug is expected to be purchased for treatment of 4,700 COVID-19 patients with moderate and severe pathology," Ivashchenko said.

At the same time, he clarified that individual disease course, concomitant pathologies, possible contraindications and the national protocol requirements are taken into account when treating such patients.

Remdesivir: other news reports

• Biotech company says coronavirus vaccine ready for initial tests
• NIH clinical trial of remdesivir to treat COVID-19 begins – media