Telangana deregulates black fungus injections as fresh cases decline

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has now decided to deregulate the drug used in the treatment of Mucormycosis, also popularly known as Black fungus.

Days after the Centre informed the States and Union Territories of its decision to discontinue allocation of anti-Mucormycosis drug Liposomal Amphotericin B to them, the Telangana government has deregulated allotment of the injection.

According to a report by The Hindu, the State government had through a committee, headed by a senior official, was regulating allotment of the drug used in the treatment of the fungal infection or Black Fungus. Besides Liposomal Amphotericin B, Posaconazole and Isavuconazole were other drugs whose allotment was regulated by the committee.

The move followed a demand for these drugs, especially Liposomal Amphotericin B, amid an increase in the number of people contracting Mucormycosis. There were also reports of black marketing of the injection.

But, with improved availability of the medicine and decline in fresh cases of the fungal infection, the Centre recently conveyed its decision to discontinue allocation and advised the States and Union Territories to procure the drug from the manufacturers and importers.

Following this, the Telangana Health department in communication said “the government hereby deregulates the allotment of Liposomal Amphotericin B injection drug through Committee”. Posaconazole, Amphotericin (conventional/emulsion) and Isavuconazole had already been deregulated in June, the department said.