In China, no easy way to get Pfizer’s COVID drug Paxlovid

BEIJING — When Li’s 83-year-old father with diabetes began coughing and complaining of physique aches final month, the Beijing resident turned anxious about discovering a therapy for COVID-19 in case his mother or father had caught the virus sweeping town.

He heard at the moment that Pfizer’s PFE.N anti-viral drug Paxlovid was an efficient therapy, however sufferers may solely get it prescribed in the event that they had been admitted to hospital, and provided that the drug was in inventory.

The primary hospital they visited carried out a CT scan that confirmed his lungs had been contaminated, however turned them away, saying no beds had been out there, stated Mr. Li, who solely gave his surname due to sensitivity over how authorities would possibly view his account.

After two extra days of frantic calls to households and pals, a contact lastly discovered them an area at one other hospital, however it took an additional antigen check and second CT scan earlier than it agreed to prescribe the drug.

Along with his father admitted to an intensive care unit, Mr. Li was anxious that it had taken too lengthy to get efficient therapy.

“I’m not sure if Paxlovid can help him. I think it’s because when he got the medicine, he already had the virus for a week,” Mr. Li informed Reuters on Jan. 12.

“Now we can do little but pray.”

His father died the identical day.

Mr. Li’s expertise, native media reviews and on-line posts bear testimony to the difficulties confronted acquiring Paxlovid in China by official channels.

Paxlovid — a mix of two anti-viral medication — is among the few international oral therapies accepted by Beijing and a medical trial has discovered it to have lowered hospitalizations in high-risk sufferers by round 90%.

Having been accepted in February final 12 months, Paxlovid was scarcely utilized in China till December when the federal government began lifting its strict containment coverage, and wave of COVID infections started to construct.

RAMPING UP SUPPLIES
Chinese language authorities have acknowledged that provides of Paxlovid are nonetheless inadequate to meet demand, whilst Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla stated final week that hundreds of programs of the therapy had been shipped to the nation final 12 months and previously couple of weeks tens of millions extra had been shipped.

“Pfizer is actively collaborating with Chinese authorities and all stakeholders to secure an adequate supply of Paxlovid in China. We remain committed to fulfilling the COVID-19 treatment needs of Chinese patients and partnering with the Chinese government,” the corporate stated in an announcement.

Racing to defend in opposition to a rising loss of life toll, China has additionally accepted Merck & Co’s COVID antiviral drug and is reviewing a therapy developed by Japan’s Shionogi.

Paxlovid is roofed by state insurance coverage — albeit quickly till the tip of March — that means sufferers in principle would solely want to pay 198 yuan ($29), a tenth of its normal worth.

However China doesn’t present knowledge on what number of therapy programs are equipped and the place it may be bought, forcing most sufferers to depend on media reviews, word-of-mouth and even importing by unauthorized channels within the gray market.

Those that do handle to discover a provider typically find yourself paying exorbitant costs, as demand has shot up amid a large wave of COVID-19 infections.

The official Guangzhou Every day reported that sufferers on the United Household Healthcare hospital in Guangdong had been paying 6,000 yuan ($891) for well being checks earlier than being allowed to get Paxlovid priced at 2,300 yuan on the hospital. — Reuters

The hospital didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters’ request for remark.

Well being knowledge agency Airfinity estimated in December that China would wish 49 million programs of the COVID therapy over the subsequent 5 months, with over 22 million wanted in January alone.

The Pfizer drug might be additionally bought for two,170 yuan with prescription by way of on-line platforms, however it sometimes sells out inside seconds.

PAXLOVID GIFT
A number of different folks described to Reuters how they turned to the gray market to buy Paxlovid. Some had been wanting to deal with sick kin, whereas others needed it simply in case.

Chen Jun, a resident of China’s southern Hainan Province, stated he purchased Paxlovid from a provider launched by a enterprise companion, who stated the medication was coming from Hong Kong.

Mr. Chen paid 20,000 yuan ($2,972) on Jan. 2 for 2 containers for his aged dad and mom, that suffer from most cancers, and he stated that some folks had paid double that worth.

“You’ll think it cheap once your family members are in need, because anything is better than going to a hospital now,” he stated. “I know people who paid 20,000 yuan for one box of the medicine.”

One other purchaser who gave his identify as Ray stated he managed to get two containers from america, the place provides are nonetheless ample and a physician’s prescription might be obtained after a web-based session.

“It’s very straightforward, they don’t ask questions,” he stated. Having made the web buy, he then requested a buddy there to assist courier it to China.

An analyst at a Chinese language securities home, who requested anonymity due to sensitivities over the topic, stated his boss went to Hong Kong to fill up on Paxlovid to reward shoppers because it was extra valued than a well-liked, costly liquor.

“It is a better gift than Moutai.” — Reuters

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