Indians spent Rs 15,000 crore on immunity boosters | Economic Times

Indians bought nearly Rs 15,000-crore of vitamin supplements and other immunity boosters in the twelve months to May, up about a fifth from the same period the preceding year, as sales of drugs related directly or indirectly to Covid-19 treatment surged. Prescription antivirals and antibiotics, such as Favipiravir, Remdesivir and Azithromycin, were also in demand.Data from the All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) showed that in the June 2020-May 2021 period, Indians bought Rs 1,220 crore of antiviral drug Favipiravir and Rs 833 crore of Remdesivir. Sales of antibiotic Azithromycin stood at Rs 992 crore, 38% higher on-year. Sales of Doxycycline almost tripled to Rs 85 crore. Sales of anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin surged over 10 times to Rs 237 crore. Indians also bought immunity-boosting vitamin drugs and mineral supplements worth Rs 14,587 crore, about 20% more than in the preceding year. Sales of vitamin D alone stood at Rs 817 crore, about 40% higher. Zinc supplements sold nearly three times more at Rs 183 crore.Direct Dispatches not IncludedSales of plain vitamin C on the other hand nearly quadrupled to Rs 340 crore.83592975To be sure, sales of these categories of drugs could be even higher as AIOCD data do not include company dispatches directly to large hospitals or institutions.“AIOCD sources data from stockists. Thus, sales of drugs that pharma companies directly sell to the hospitals and other institutions may not get captured in the AIOCD data,” said Krishnanath Munde, Associate Director, India Ratings and Research. Multivitamins were in demand because of their immunity booster properties, said Sheetal Sapale, President – Marketing, AIOCD AWACS. Antivirals Favipiravir and Remdesivir were also in high demand through the second wave because of their direct role in Covid treatment.