Demand for antifungal drugs soars in State; govt says more stocks coming

CHENNAI: With more cases of Mucormycosis surfacing, the demand for antifungals Amphotericin B and Posaconazole API have been soaring even as Health officials urge the public not to panic, claiming not all fungal cases require drugs.

Currently, the State has a short supply of Amphotericin B injection and Posaconazole API tablets. State Drug Controller K Sivabalan said the short supply is mainly because these medical conditions are rare and only recently saw a spike. “We are procuring the drug through Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. There is a short supply of Amphotericin B and Posaconazole API but orders have been placed and allotment from the Centre is also being done,” said Sivabalan adding that the availability of Posaconazole API is yet to be ascertained.

Tamil Nadu has recorded more than 460 cases of Mucormycosis so far. According to officials from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, not all of Mucormycosis would require the drug, as the cause of the infection varies.

“Some Mucormycosis patients might require Amphotericin B injection, while others might require Posaconazole API tablets. Many will require both of them to recover. Irrespective of whether the infection is caused due to steroid intake, oxygen administration, or uncontrolled diabetes, the availability of the drugs is necessary to treat them. Both these drugs have to be made available in government hospitals, district hospitals and even in private ones,” said public health expert Dr K Kolandaisamy. Members of the task force in TN say treatment required for patients is a multidisciplinary approach, including intervention from ophthalmologists, ENT specialists and neuro-surgeons.

“The infected tissues have to be removed through surgery and this is why it is necessary to identify such cases in the early stages. The follow-up of antifungal drugs is required for many weeks after the surgery to reduce the growth of the infection further. It is required for all the Mucormycosis patients to be on antifungal drugs,” said ENT specialist and member of Mucormycosis task force Dr Mohan Kameshwaran.

Dr S Soundari, head of medical services at Dr Agarwal Eye Hospital said though surgery is needed for the removal of infected tissues, there can be traces of the fungus that cannot be removed and this is why drugs are necessary.