As Beijing suffers from COVID onslaught, Chinese turn to black market to seek Indian drugs

As China faces an unprecedented wave of COVID-19 infections, residents have turned to the black market for generic antiviral drugs in an effort to protect themselves and their loved ones. With supplies of approved drugs like Pfizer's Paxlovid and Genuine Biotech's Azvudine limited and expensive, many have resorted to illegally importing generic options from India, as per a report from South China Morning Post. Four types of these drugs, branded as Primovir, Paxista, Molnunat, and Molnatris, are being sold on the Chinese market at prices ranging from 530 to 1,600 yuan per box.

While significantly cheaper than the 2,980 yuan per box cost of Paxlovid, these Indian generics have not been approved by the Chinese government and selling them is a punishable offense. Despite the risk, the demand for these drugs has been so high that they have been trending on social media platforms like Weibo. Under China's drugs administration law, people who distribute these medicines face penalties. 

Why is this significant?

Chinese people attemtping to get access to Indian COVID drugs, despite the risk of penalties, showcases how ineffective Chinese drugs are. The authorities in China have been pushing traditional Chinese medicines like Lianhua Qingwen. People in China have lashed out at the authorities for pushing Lianhua Qingwen, which is not really effective against COVID. As the masses in China struggle to get access to Indian COVID drugs, the elites in China are stockpiling Paxlovid. 

As COVID-19 patients flooded hospitals and clinics in China, the government relaxed regulations to allow retail sales of the drug Paxlovid and authorized internet healthcare service providers to offer consultations and prescribe medications. Within an hour of becoming available on the mobile app of 111. inc, a healthcare platform, Paxlovid stocks were sold out, with people rushing to purchase a box for 2,980 yuan. When it was reported that a high-end private hospital in Beijing could prescribe Paxlovid, many rushed there to stockpile the drug for elderly family members, even if the batches were close to expiration.

Beijing resident May Shen, who purchased a pack for approximately 3,800 yuan including a consultation fee, said to the South China Morning Post that she wanted to have the medicine for her father, who has terminal cancer. "I know the drug needs to be taken under the guidance of doctors, but I am worried that if things get worse we won't be able to get a hospital bed or see a doctor in time. It's better to secure the drug now rather than regret it later," Shen said, noting that the drug will expire in February but she is willing to take the risk.