India to send nearly 1,000 tonnes of paracetamol raw material to Europe

FILE PHOTO: A pharmacist checks weight of Paracetamol, a common pain reliever also sold as acetaminophen, tablets inside a lab of a pharmaceutical company on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Amit Dave

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will supply Europe with about 1,000 tonnes of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for common pain reliever paracetamol, a top exports body said, easing export controls on over-the counter medicines used to cope with COVID-19 symptoms.

The Indian government in March put a hold on exports of several drugs including paracetamol to secure supplies for its people after the coronavirus outbreak disrupted the industry's supply chain globally. COVID-19 is the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.