Chinese health experts are warning that counterfeit versions of Indian generic drugs in China are flooding the black market Record jump in COVID-19 cases fueled demand for antivirals, especially Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Indian generic versions.
With Paxlovid being in short supply and highly regulated in government clinics, there has been an increase in sales of Indian generic versions through Chinese e-commerce platforms in India. With a view to ending the “Zero-Covid” policy On 7 December.
China has seen millions of cases Since then – an estimate by the National Health Commission put the figure at 250 million as of 20 December – and although most have been mild, cities have seen high numbers of deaths, particularly among unvaccinated elderly people. crematoria in many Chinese cities Record waiting period is reported.
With the huge demand for the COVID-19 drug, some counterfeit versions of Indian generics have also hit the market.
Patients with COVID symptoms crowd the halls of a Changhai hospital as they receive medical treatment in Shanghai, China. file | Photo Credit: AP
“Chinese laboratories are raising the alarm over a new potential threat to public health Massive wave of COVID-19 infections: Growing trade of counterfeit antiviral drug,” Chinese media outlet sixth tone Reported.
“Boxes of Paxlovid are now selling for up to 50,000 yuan ($7,200) on the black market, forcing many people in China to seek cheaper alternatives. This is increasing the demand for generic versions of the drug produced by Indian manufacturers. However, laboratory analysis indicates that a significant amount of ‘Indian medicines’ circulating in China are spurious,” the report said.
While there has been no evidence so far of the counterfeit versions causing harm, experts are concerned because they are ineffective against the virus and may result in patients not seeking treatment.
Paxlovid is made available through government clinics, but is in limited supply. The sale is also highly regulated with doctors evaluating the need for the drug of patients and largely restricting it to senior citizens.
In form of sixth tone The report states that channels that were earlier used to sell cancer drugs made in India are now offering antivirals.
“On Chinese e-commerce platforms… at least four generic COVID drugs manufactured in India have been listed for sale in recent weeks. Primovir and Paxista are both generic versions , while the other two are generic versions of molnipiravir. It appears that all four drugs have been approved by Indian authorities for emergency use but are not legal for use in China,” the report said.
Some Chinese who tested Primovir tablets found that the drugs did not contain nimrelvir, a key ingredient.
Yin Ye, head of Chinese genomics company BGI, wrote on December 31 that only one of 143 samples sold as primovir contained nimtrelvir.
After China eased restrictions on the import of drugs in 2019, unapproved drugs, including cancer drugs, from India have entered the country in large numbers, though trade was curtailed due to limited transport channels during the pandemic.
He Xiaobing, head of Beijing Memorial Pharmaceutical, told sixth tone that India is “the only country where we can source reliable and affordable COVID drugs with guaranteed therapeutic effects”.
“But the strong demand was used by illegal groups producing counterfeit drugs,” he said. This will badly affect the treatment of patients.
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