Many governments distribute antipyretics to citizens free of charge： the production capacity is gradually released and the raw materials are enough to meet the demand.
In order to effectively cope with the shortage of antipyretic drugs in the market, many governments are coordinating the distribution of antipyretic drugs to residents free of charge, alleviating the situation that one drug is hard to find. At the same time, the enterprises producing ibuprofen and acetaminophen are gradually releasing their production capacity.
Distribute antipyretics free of charge in many places
On December 20th, the Network Information Office of Hainan Provincial Party Committee released a message that from December 21st to 23rd, Haikou City will distribute 40,000 tablets of antipyretics free of charge, and citizens can collect them at 42 designated pharmacies, and each person is limited to 4 tablets while stocks last. Hainan Netcom Office said that the Haikou Municipal Government is making every effort to help the city’s pharmaceutical production and operation enterprises to raise raw materials, expand production capacity, give priority to ensuring local medical institutions and market supply, and at the same time severely crack down on illegal activities such as hoarding, driving up drug prices and spreading false news.
On the same day, Zhoukou City, Luoyang City, Pingdingshan City, Henan Province, etc. issued a notice on the free distribution of antipyretic drugs.
Zhoukou City Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters purchased a batch of ibuprofen tablets (0.1g), which is scheduled to be distributed free of charge from 11: 00 am on December 20, 2022. The first batch of 130,000 tablets will be entrusted to the designated pharmacies in Tonghetang, and each person will receive one dose (10 tablets) with his ID card.
Under the coordination of Luoyang Municipal Market Supervision Bureau, more than 3,200 boxes of antipyretics will arrive in Luoyang on the afternoon of December 20th, and 6 large pharmacies of Zhang Zhongjing will distribute 3,200 boxes of antipyretics to the public for four consecutive days from December 21st to 23rd, covering jianxi district, Xigong District, Old Town, Luolong District and Chanhe District.Luoyang Municipal Market Supervision Bureau reminds the public not to hoard medicines, and leave the urgently needed medicines to those who need them most.
According to the report released by Pingdingshan on December 20th, in order to ensure the public’s drug demand, Guoda Pharmacy (including 26 stores in Pingdingshan, Yexian, jia county, Baofeng, Lushan and Ruzhou) urgently purchased a batch of antipyretic drugs through various channels — — Acetaminophen tablets will be distributed free of charge from December 21 ST to 23 rd, and each person is limited to 6 tablets.
According to the report of Foshan Daily on December 20th, under the guidance of the market supervision and management department of Foshan City, Guangdong Province, Dashenlin Pharmacy will distribute the first batch of 36,000 antipyretics in Foshan at 16: 00 every day from now until the 21st, which is expected to benefit at least 6,000 Foshan citizens. Citizens go to the store to take temperature measurement by themselves ≥ 38℃/ or their family and friends can get the antipyretic drugs for 3 days (2 capsules/day) when they come to the store with the video or photos of temperature measurement above 38℃. The relevant person in charge of Da Shen Lin said that the first batch of 1 million antipyretics will be distributed free of charge throughout the country.
Two antipyretics are gradually releasing production capacity.
In addition, there are also many places to encourage the sale of antipyretic drugs.
On December 20th, Changsha Municipal Market Supervision Administration of Hunan Province issued the Notice on Encouraging Drug Retailers in the whole city to sell epidemic prevention drugs in pieces, encouraging drug retail pharmacies in the whole city to sell drugs that meet the requirements of the sale in pieces on the premise of ensuring the quality of drugs.
According to the "Zhuhai Release", starting from December 20th, over 500 retail pharmacies in Zhuhai will continue to supply antipyretic drugs for retail sales, and these drugs will be sold according to the principle of "fixed point, limited amount, retail sales and price limit". Citizens should register their identity information when purchasing under the ID card line at the designated pharmacy. The quantity of antipyretic drugs (ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, diclofenac sodium sustained-release capsules and loxoprofen sodium capsules) should not exceed 6 capsules per person within 7 days, and the quantity of ibuprofen suspension should not exceed 1 bottle per person within 7 days. Each person can only buy one of the above varieties within 7 days.
According to the "Nanjing Release", since December 19th, Nanjing has continuously put 2 million tablets of antipyretic drugs into the market every day, and 153 retail pharmacies have dismantled and sold them in a unified way. Each customer is limited to 6 tablets, which can be purchased with ID cards and covered by medical insurance.
According to Beijing Daily, at the press conference on epidemic prevention and control in Beijing on the 19th, Wang Houting, deputy director of Beijing Drug Administration, said that drugs suitable for critically ill patients should be given priority distribution to large-scale tertiary general hospitals and corresponding specialized hospitals, and dosage forms suitable for children should be given priority distribution to medical institutions with pediatric clinics. For large-package antipyretic drugs put into pharmacies, it is strictly required to be disassembled and sold as needed.
According to the data obtained by CCTV News from National Medical Products Administration on December 20th, there are 194 kinds of antipyretic, antitussive, antibacterial and antiviral drugs listed in China, involving about 9000 approval numbers. Regarding the production of ibuprofen and acetaminophen, commonly used antipyretic and analgesic drugs that people are very concerned about, according to the annual report data of enterprises in 2021, there are 446 valid numbers of ibuprofen, of which 104 are in production in 2021; There are 986 effective numbers of acetaminophen, of which 111 are in production in 2021. With the coordination and support of relevant departments, at present, the production enterprises of these two varieties are gradually releasing their production capacity.
In addition, according to the investigation of some enterprises, the production capacity of ibuprofen and acetaminophen in China is sufficient, which can meet the demand of domestic preparation production. For example, Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical’s annual production capacity of ibuprofen raw materials can reach 8,000 tons, far exceeding the total demand of the domestic market in previous years; The annual production capacity of acetaminophen raw materials of Shandong Anqiu Luan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is close to 30,000 tons, which is about twice the total demand of domestic market in previous years.
On December 20th, Dongbei Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Dongbei Pharmaceutical, 000597.SZ) issued a change announcement. Recently, the market demand for antipyretic and analgesic drugs has increased. The company adheres to the mission of "making medicine for China" and step up the production of acetaminophen tablets, compound paracetamol and amantadine tablets and vitamin C series preparations according to market demand, so as to fully guarantee the market supply.
In the secondary market, with the gradual catch-up of supply, the stock prices of COVID-19 concept stocks, which had been heated up before, all showed a correction today.
On December 20th, the A-share pharmaceutical e-commerce sector fell by 2.76%, and the concept stocks such as antipyretics, cold medicines and COVID-19 medicines "cooled down" across the board. Xinhua Pharmaceutical (000756.SZ) decreased by 9.91%, Hendi Pharmaceutical (301211.SZ) decreased by 13.16%, Rundu (002923.SZ) decreased by 3.91%, Guizhou Bailing (002424.SZ) decreased by 4.72%, and China Resources Sanjiu (00999) Taiji Group (600129.SH) decreased by 3.09%, Yiling Pharmaceutical (002603.SZ) decreased by 2.9%, Guizhou Sanli (603439.SH) decreased by 1.35%, and Jichuan Pharmaceutical (600566.SH) decreased by 1.35%.