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Beijing: As China is witnessing an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases, anti-Covid generic drugs from India, particularly the generic version of Pfizer’s oral drug Paxlovid, have reportedly become best-sellers in China. Amid heavy demand, people are required to book them weeks in advance.
Chinese reports highlight that “anti-COVID Indian generic drugs sold at RMB 1000 box” has appeared on Weibo’s hot search list in the last few days, according to a report in ORF.
As there is less stock available for anti-Covid generic drugs from India, several e-commerce platforms and individual stores across China have now started pre-sale mode.
“These generic drugs are currently difficult to buy off the shelf in China, while direct mail from India takes about 15-20 days and is restricted to only two boxes per person. Even as certain online e-commerce platforms, while reacting to the heavy demand, have blocked Indian generic-related keywords, however, the drugs are selling like hotcakes in China’s black markets and social circles,” the ORF report stated.
While Pfizer’s Paxlovid and domestically developed Real Bio’s Azvudine are currently the only two dedicated anti-Covid drugs approved in China, Azvudine is reportedly facing some problems in the domestic market as the company has not disclosed certain information about the drug after Azvudine was conditionally approved for listing.On the other hand, there is a shortage of Paxlovid in the Chinese market even as it is reducing the severe disease rate and death rate by 82.5 percent, particularly in the elderly population.
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