Indian export block causes global headache

The Indian government has restricted exports of 26 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and finished pharmaceutical products, raising concerns about access to medicines as the novel coronavirus begins to spread more rapidly outside of China.

The products, which amount to around a tenth of pharmaceutical exports from the country, include the common pain reliever acetaminophen, or paracetamol.

They also include vitamin products, antibiotics such as erythromycin and tinidazole, and the hormone progesterone. Restrictions are also being applied to antivirals, such as the shingles medicine acyclovir.