China is not an easy country to obtain Pfizer’s COVID drug Paxlovid.

By Sophie Yu, Martin Quin Pollard

BEIJING (Reuters). – Li, an 83-year old father suffering from diabetes, began complaining of body aches and coughing last month. The Beijing resident was anxious to find a treatment for COVID-19.

He was told that Paxlovid, an anti-viral drug by Pfizer, was effective. However, patients couldn’t get it prescribed unless they were admitted to hospital and the drug was not in stock.

They went to the first hospital that performed a CT scan. It showed that his lungs were infected. However, they turned them away and said no beds were available. Li did not give his surname because he was concerned about how authorities might view it.

After two days of panicking calls to friends and family, a contact found them a spot at another hospital. But it needed to run another antigen test and a second CT scan before they agreed to prescribe the drug.

Li was concerned about his father’s admission to the ICU.

“I’m not sure if Paxlovid can help him. “I think it’s because he had the virus for a week before he received the medicine,” Li said to Reuters on January 12.

“Now, we can only pray.”

He also lost his father that day.

Li’s story, local media reports and online postings bear witness to the difficulties in obtaining Paxlovid China through official channels.

Paxlovid, a combination of two anti-viral drugs, is one of few foreign oral treatments that Beijing has approved. A clinical trial found it to reduce hospitalisations for high-risk patients by approximately 90%.

Paxlovid was approved in February 2013 and was rarely used in China. The government began lifting its strict containment policy in December and the wave of COVID infections began.

SUPPLIES UPGRADE

Chinese authorities acknowledge that Paxlovid supplies remain insufficient to meet the demand. This is despite the fact that Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, stated last week that thousands upon thousands of Paxlovid treatments were shipped to China in 2013 and that in the past few weeks, millions more were shipped.

“Pfizer is committed to working with Chinese authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that China has adequate supplies of Paxlovid. The company stated that it remains committed to meeting the COVID-19 treatment requirements of Chinese patients and working with the Chinese government.

Racing to defend against a rising death toll, China has also approved Merck & Co’s COVID antiviral drug and is reviewing a treatment developed by Japan’s Shionogi.

Paxlovid is currently covered by state insurance, but only temporarily until March. Patients would pay 198 yuan ($29), which is a tenth the usual price.

China does not provide information on the number of treatment courses and their availability. This forces most patients to rely upon media reports, word-of mouth, or even imports through grey market channels that aren’t authorized.

Many people who are able to find suppliers end up paying exorbitant amounts, because demand is high due to the massive wave of COVID-19 infection.

Guangzhou Daily reported in its official Guangzhou Daily, that patients at United Family Healthcare Guangdong had to pay 6,000 yuan ($891) to have their health checked before they could receive Paxlovid (which is priced at 2,300yuan) at the hospital.

Reuters reached out to the hospital for comment but they did not respond immediately.

Airfinity, a provider of health data, predicted that China would need 49,000,000 courses of COVID treatment in the next five months. In January alone, it needed more than 22 million.

Online, you can purchase the Pfizer drug for 2,170yuan.

PAXLOVID GIFTS

Reuters was also told by several other people how they used the grey market to buy Paxlovid. Others wanted to help their relatives who were sick, while some others just wanted it for themselves.

Chen Jun, a Chinese resident in the southern Hainan Province said that he purchased Paxlovid through a supplier suggested by a business partner. The supplier claimed that the medicine came from Hong Kong.

Chen paid 20,000 yuan ($2,972) for two boxes on Jan. 2, for his elderly parents who have cancer.

He stated, “You’ll find it cheaper once your family is in desperate need. But anything is better that going to the hospital now.” “I have heard of people who paid as high as 20,000 Yuan for one box.

Ray, another buyer, said that he was able to obtain two boxes from the United States. There are still plenty of supplies and an online consultation can get a prescription.

He said, “It’s very simple, they don’t want to ask questions.” He made the purchase online and asked his friend to send it to China.

An analyst from a Chinese securities firm requested anonymity to protect his identity. His boss had gone to Hong Kong to buy Paxlovid to give to clients, as it was more expensive than popular, high-end liquors.

“It’s a better gift than Moutai.”

($1 = 6.7072 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Sophie Yu, Martin Pollard and Albee Zhang; Additional reporting by Michael Erman in New York; Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Miyoung Kim & Simon Cameron-Moore)

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