PHC directs hospitals to purchase, start clinical trial of Tocilizumab

LAHORE:The Punjab Healthcare Commission has issued directions to private hospitals for the purchase and clinical trial of Tocilizumab (Actemra) injections.

According to a letter, only those private hospitals having an allocation of five or more beds in Covid-19 HDUs/ICUs and admitting patients are eligible to procure Injection Tocilizumab. If any other hospital administration deems that it fulfills the criteria may apply to the Commission by sending documentary and pictorial evidence. Moreover, the hospital has to notify two-member institutional committee, comprising consultant intensivist/pulmonologist and consultant physician, which will examine a patient as per the directions of Corona Experts Advisory Group, and give permission for the trial of a patient. Also, the hospital administration will send details of the patient and provision of the injection to the company, which will issue the requisite number of injections to the hospital concerned on control rate. The consultant of the hospital will be responsible for video recording of the opening of pack/injection clearly showing its batch number and process of its administration to the patient, which will be submitted to the PHC. Moreover, hospitals have been directed to provide clinical notes to the PHC within 24 hours of every patient either discharged or expired. Also, reports regarding patients along with proformas, videos, record of injections received and used will be submitted to the Commission on every Tuesday. The company will also submit the summary of daily status of issuance of the injections to the PHC, which will monitor and conduct an audit of the hospitals to ensure strict compliance of the instructions.