Taiwan considers Panadol control as China's COVID-19 spike causes shortage of crucial drug

While Chinese healthcare system cripples under the massive influx of COVID-19 infections and panic that is making the people rush to buy bulks of coronavirus related medications, Taiwan is now considering controlling the bulk purchases of medicinal drugs especially Panadol which is a well known pain reliever and fever drug manufactured by UK-based Haleon Plc. Demands for Panadol have risen sharply in Taiwan as people go on a bulk buying spree and many pharmacies are reportedly running out, South China Morning Post reported quoting Taiwanese health authorities. Authorities are deliberating whether to take action to control the situation with locals buying the drug in unusually large quantities with many of the supplies being reportedly sent to mainland China. 

“It is true that there is a buying spree of this particular [paracetamol] brand Panadol across Taiwan,”  Taiwanese health minister Hsueh Jui-yuan said on Wednesday. “We are closely monitoring the situation as well as the supply and demand conditions of the pharmaceutical market in Taiwan,” he said, after reporters pressed him on whether there would be any official action to control the sudden surge in demand. Wang Pi-sheng, head of Taiwan’s epidemic control command centre, said they had carried out a survey of pharmacies and found Panadol stocks were fast running out. “There have been bulk purchases of Panadol resulting in shortages of supplies of the medicine in Taiwan. In view of this, we have contacted the manufacturer to see if they could speed up shipments to help meet the market demand,” Wang said, reported SCMP. He called on the public not to stockpile or buy the medicine in large quantities for sending overseas. “The command centre will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate if active measures should be taken in response,” he said.

Taiwanese sending Paladol to relatives overseas in China

Panadol had been selling out fast since early last week, local chemists reported, mainly due to buyers snapping up the drug for friends and relatives on mainland China, which is battling a surge in coronavirus infections after zero-COVID controls were significantly relaxed. Millions of Chinese have been left struggling to find painkillers and fever medicines to ease COVID-19 symptoms, after an unprecedented spike in cases following the sudden rollback of pandemic restrictions nationwide on December 7.

Chiu Chien-chiang, deputy secretary general of the Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations, said Panadol supplies were already tight in Taiwan since a COVID-19 spike in May, and the recent shortage in mainland China had made the situation worse on the island. “The federation asked all drug stores in Taiwan to report on purchase records. According to their report, buyers who snapped up five to 20 boxes were mostly Chinese spouses of local residents, mainland-based Taiwanese businessmen, and locals buying for their friends and relatives in (mainland) China,” Chiu said, reported SCMP.

He said anyone sending medicines, including Panadol, to the mainland in bulk would be fined if the shipment was intercepted by Taiwanese customs. The same applied to those taking large quantities to the mainland in person. According to Taiwan’s pharmaceutical regulations, only qualified drug suppliers are allowed to export medicines in large shipments. Bulk purchases that might affect domestic supply are punishable by fines and seizure of the products.