Four persons have been arrested in Quezon City for online sale of Remdesivir, a drug used only with Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) for persons with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Wednesday, June 16.
NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor identified those arrested as Maria Christina Manaig, Christopher Boydon, Philip Bales, and Bernard Tommy Bunyi. They were arrested during two separate entrapment operations conducted by the NBI’s Special task Force (NBI-STF) last Tuesday, June 15.
“OIC Director Distor said that the simultaneous operations stemmed from information received by the NBI-STF about the rampant online selling of Remdesivir, an investigational drug used for treatment of COVID-19 patients in the country,” the NBI said.
“NBI-STF was able to establish communication with the individuals selling Remdesivir online and ordered from two sellers a vial each of the drug for the price of P4,500 and P5,000 respectively,” it said.
It also said that after the arrest, the four persons were presented for inquest before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for violations of Republic Act 9711, also known as Food Administration Act of 2009, and for violations of RA 5921, the Philippine Pharmacy Act.
The NBI reminded that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed the use of Remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment but “requires a Compassionate Special Permit (CSP).”
“Accordingly, a CSP is not tantamount to a Certificate of Product Registration issued by the FDA,” it explained.
It pointed out that the FDA has announced that “the CSP is only granted to licensed doctors and hospitals who shall take full responsibility for the use and dispensing of Remdesivir.”