HYDERABAD: The inclusion of human albumin in the essential drugs price control regime has had an unforeseen and dangerous side effect.

The precious blood serum protein, which is required for treating chronic kidney failure, liver diseases, burns and also malnutrition, has disappeared from the shelves of most pharmacists. Only small stocks of human albumin are available with wholesalers and stockists and some hospital pharmacies.

Dr Pradeep Deshpande, senior nephrologist at Gandhi Hospital, said, “There is a severe shortage of human albumin.

Patients who require it have to go to major medical stores where stocks are limited.” Gandhi Hospital alone sees up to 15 patients every month who need human albumin.

Sai Kiran, who is suffering from acute kidney failure, said, “I require three shots of 100 ml each. The doctor has given me numbers of stockists to procure human albumin. My relatives are going around looking for it.”

Human albumin is the most abundant protein in blood plasma and is produced in the liver. It maintains calcium levels in the body and transports nutrients or drugs in the blood stream.

In kidney transplants, when the blood groups of the donor and the recipient do not match, the plasma content in the recipient’s blood has to be drained out and albumin transfused so that the donated kidney is not rejected. When patients cannot procure human albumin, doctors look for replacements.

Mr Ramesh Yadav, who also suffers from kidney problems, said, “Albumin was not available and my doctors have asked me to get plasma from the blood bank.”

Dr Abdul Khaleel, nephrologist, said: “Plasma is not as effective as concentrated albumin. In plasma, albumin is present in diluted form. The treatment is prolonged and it becomes costly for the patient.”

A 50 ml vial of albumin costs between Rs 2,500 and Rs 4,000 and is supplied by Reliance, Intas, Bharat Serums and Baxter. But after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) capped the price at Rs 36.66 for 1 ml of human albumin, it disappeared from the shelves.

Private hospitals require a minimum of 25 units every month. Pharmacists, doctors and also the hospital authorities are networking with companies to procure stocks for their patients.