Steroid sales rise 10-fold in Covid second wave

Steroid sales rise 10-fold in Covid second wave

Niyati Parikh & Parth Shastri TNN

Ahmedabad:04.05.2021

With increasing number of Covid patients requiring oxygen in the ongoing second wave of infections, the sale of steroids has also increased along with other Covid-related medication. Estimates by Federation of Chemists and Druggists Association (FGSCDA) suggest that sales of steroids particularly dexamethasone and methyl prednisolone, have gone up by a good 10-fold in April.

“Rise in cases have surely caused an increase in the sale of steroids. However, steroids are life-saving medicines and are not typically prescribed to all patients. But in the ongoing second wave of Covid-19 infections, at least seven in ten patients are prescribed these two steroids very frequently. This is against an estimated two in ten patients who were prescribed steroids and that too at a later stage,” said Alpesh Patel, president, FGSCDA.

Patel also explained that most patients were given steroids after at least a week of getting infected and that too usually at the hospital, during the first wave. However, the treatment approach has now changed drastically.

Ankur Aggarwal, founder, Medkart, said, “The sale of steroids are booming because patients are often prescribed these medicines at a much early stage. We’ve come across patients who have just contracted Covid and are prescribed steroids, to avert further complications. This was not the case in the earlier wave of Covid infections.”

Industry players said that in the first wave, there was no shortage of critical medicines or access to hospitals and healthcare facilities, or even oxygen and thus, complications, if any, were handled at hospitals.

“Such is not the case now. Therefore, the prescription of steroids has gone up,” said a city-based chemist.

During the first wave, steroids were given at end of first week, now they are being prescribed in one or two days in bid to save lung damage