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    Coronavirus shuts door on other viruses, sales of many drugs fall

    Synopsis

    Sales of anti-infectives have fallen 34% month on month so far in April while sales of respiratory drugs (excluding asthma products) have dropped 20% and those of painkillers fell 27%, data from All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) show.

    1Agencies
    Chemist stores confirmed that there was a clear drop in sales of anti-infectives post March 25, when the nationwide lockdown was imposed, after a spike in early March.
    Mumbai: Medicine sales have fallen in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic as the lockdown measures seem to have helped significantly reduce the incidence of other infectious diseases.

    After early panic buying in March, pharmacies are now left with large stock of drugs with few takers, industry insiders said.

    Sales of anti-infectives have fallen 34% month on month so far in April while sales of respiratory drugs (excluding asthma products) have dropped 20% and those of painkillers fell 27%, data from All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) show.

    “This trend is clearly the impact of lockdown as people are aware of general hygiene because of Covid-19. That’s why we are seeing less infections of airborne and respiratory diseases,” Ameesh Masurekar, director of AIOCD, told ET. Sales of vaccines have slumped 70% as paediatricians have recommended delaying vaccination until the lockdown ends while the dermatology category, which was one of the fastest growing segments in the market, declined 30%, according to AIOCD.

    Drugs for chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiology problems are the only one that have seen a 10% spike in sales cumulatively as panic buying over fears of shortage have led to hoarding in this category. This category registered growth of 10% cumulatively.

    However, sales of oncology drugs have declined as hospitals across the country have deferred chemo treatments. Such decline in medicine sales is unprecedented, according to industry insiders.
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    Chemist stores confirmed that there was a clear drop in sales of anti-infectives post March 25, when the nationwide lockdown was imposed, after a spike in early March. “I think what’s happening is because of the lockdown the incidence of other infectious diseases has dropped or those who have mild ailments are deciding to delay their visits to hospitals,” said Siddharth Gadia, co-founder of pharmacy chain Generico.

    A brokerage report by Emkay Securities said pharmaceutical firms such as Dr Reddy’s and Alkem that have high exposure to acute therapies have underperformed while Sun Pharma, Torrent and Lupin grew because of their chronic portfolio. Cipla grew because of its presence in respiratory drugs, while IPCA benefited from high hydroxychloroquine sales, it said.


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