The generic version of Paxlovid has a note : For export only, not for domestic consumption
Since China ended the zero-COVID policy on December 7, 2022, restriction measures of lockdown, travelling and others have recently been lifted. Now less than one month, tragic news or horrific photos related to COVID about rising death tolls and cases are circulating in all media. The obituaries of several dozens of senior professors in the Qinghua University and Beijing University have been announced since then. Medicines for fever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are in shortage in pharmacies. Emergency care of hospitals are being overwhelmed. Victims who succumbed to COVID have lined up in Funeral houses in major cities. Although all those seem not unexpected, as the vaccination rate of elderly populations is only 20%. However, we, living in another continent cross the ocean, cannot help being exasperated, concerned about whether our parents, brothers and sisters, or friends in China can survive the first massive wave of COVID infection. Thus, the lingering question is “do our families in China have an effective, life-saving anti-COVID virus drug for treatment if infected?”. There are hundreds of secret herbal recipes of all kinds passing around for COVID. People are also currently resorting to some anti-influenza virus, like balovavir, in China. However, all of those drugs are not effective, and unapproved by the government for treatment of COVID.
The anti-COVID virals commonly used in US
In U.S., the armament for the COVID treatment includes several different dosage forms. To mention a few, the bebtelovimab, which is administered via a quick (30 seconds) single dose i.v. injection, is one of monoclonal antibody treatments, approved Feb. 2022, effective for omicron sub-variants. Remdesivir is an intravenously administered anti-COVID drug in hospital setting. FDA has approved two drugs taken by oral rout. Paxlovid oral tablet package containins two different tablets: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir. Paxlovid is highly effective for all omicron variants, reducing the risk hospitalization and death by around 89% (quoted from Nature July 2022). Lagevrio (moinupiravir) oral tablet is less effective than Paxlovid, reducing hospitalization and death by around 30%.
What anti-virus drugs do COVID patients in China have for treatment
Azvudine. This drug is an oral anti-HIV drug originally, developed by Genuine Biotch, which is a Chinese company. Azvudine has been approved by Chinese government for the COVID treatment on July 25, 2022. According to its announcement, Genuine Biotech indicated that 40% of COVID patients treated with Azvudine experienced improvement of symptoms. versus 11% of those receiving placebo. But the data of reducing hospitalization or death has not been available. (Nature July 26,2022)
Paxlovid. In February 2022, Chinese government granted emergency approval to this antiviral of oral tablets made by Pfizer for the treatment of COVID. China has also imported this highly efficacious anti-COVID drug to combat the current surge of COVID cases. However, the supply is hardly a fraction of its demand.
There are several anti-virals for COVID still in clinical trials conducted by Chinses scientists. So far, only azvudine and paxlovid have been approved by the government authority.
At present, both azvudine and paxlovid are reportedly only available in certain hospitals. Although a plan of broader distribution of the two drugs has been publicized, local hospitals around the country may be still waiting for delivery.
Facing the dire shortage of effective anti-virals for COVID treatment, people are now turning to online-black markets for help. There are four different anti-virals for COVID available in the internet markets in China. All are in generic versions made in India.
- Primovir generic version of Paxlovid
- Paxista generic version of Paxlovid
- Molnunat generic version of Lagevrio
- Molnatris generic version of Lagevrio
Those anti-viral generics have not gained the approval of Chinese authority. While the legality of selling these medicines Is questionable, people are rushing to procure them.
Paxlovid costs about 3000 yuan a package (one treatment) if without insurance coverage. In comparison, a generic version of it has online prices between 530 to 1600 yuan a package.
According the present administrative laws of China, medicines made in other countries without the government’s approvals are not considered as counterfeit products, but their distribution in this country would not be permissible. The Chinese government does not encourage people opt to purchase these generic anti-virals for COVID treatment, neither does it seem taking actions to intervene . In the current situation, facing the shortage of life-saving antivirals, seeing the horrific death tolls of elderly and those with underlying diseases due to COVID, it is totally understandable that people are scrambling to procure these generics in a thought that it may possibly save their loved one’s life. Hopefully, the supply of the original anti-viral, Paxlovid, will be improved in an urgent manner, so people are more confident in wading through the waves of COVID infection tides.
Ref:
A monoclonal anibody stands out against omicron subvariants; a call to action ofr a wide access to bebtelovimab. Maxime Hentzien, at al. The Lancet Vol 22, issue 9, Sept. 01, 2022
China approves first homegrown COVID antiviral. Yvain Ye, Nature, July 26 2022
Chinese turn to black market for generic Indian Covid-19 drugs as surge sweeps nation. Xinlu Liang, South China Morning Post/News, December 26, 2022
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