This kind of medicine is out of stock! The price of online shopping has soared nearly 20 times. Can it be replaced by other drugs？
Recently, many patients with Parkinson’s syndrome and their families told reporters that a commonly used drug, Xi Ning, which they used to treat and relieve symptoms could not be distributed in hospitals, and they could only buy it online at a price 10 times or even 20 times higher than the medical insurance price, which was very stressful. What is the reason?
The standing medicine "Xi Ning" for treating Parkinson’s disease is out of stock in many places.
Mr. Liu, 53, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome in 2013, and took Xi Ning medicine to control his condition according to the doctor’s advice. However, since August last year, the hospital has been unable to match this medicine, and the medicine will be stopped. Mr. Liu is a little anxious.
Patient Mr. Liu: There is still the last box at home. It’s no use worrying about it. Let’s talk about it when we finish eating, and listen to the doctor’s prescription.
Family members of patients: I called many times, that is to say, if I can’t get medicine, it’s hard to find a medicine.
Parkinson’s disease is due to the lack of dopamine in the patient’s brain. Xining is one of the main drugs to relieve and treat Parkinson’s symptoms. The patient, Ms. Ni, switched to other drugs because she couldn’t get Xi Ning. Unexpectedly, she had obvious discomfort symptoms and fell down, resulting in a broken hand.
Patient Ms. Ni: There is no medicine now. I haven’t taken it for half a year. I walk and wrestle. I have no strength in my feet and my hand is broken.
On the official website of Shanghai Pharmaceutical Centralized Bidding and Purchasing Management Office, the reporter found that more than 30 local medical institutions in Shanghai have recently sent out information on the purchase of Xi Ning, but most medical institutions have not purchased it in the end.
Li Gang, vice president of the Oriental Hospital affiliated to Tongji University: The company told us that the supply may be unstable due to the epidemic situation. Although we took many measures, by March 2021, many hospitals, including our hospital, were completely out of stock.
Pharmacy of Ruijin Hospital: Xining is not available now. It has been out of stock for a long time. I get it every week, but I can’t get it.
Xinhua Hospital Pharmacy: It is said that it cannot be supplied to the China market normally due to the influence of foreign epidemic situation. We haven’t been there for a long time.
Not only in the Shanghai market, but also in many parts of the country. Why is there a shortage of Xi Ning? At present, Organon Company is responsible for the general agent of Xining, and the reporter immediately contacted by telephone.
Department of Medicine, China, Organon: The output was originally relatively small, because this medicine was imported, and it was produced abroad, and it was repackaged at home, and the output was even less because of the epidemic situation or raw materials.
The online shopping price of "Xining" has risen nearly 20 times. The industry calls for improving the supply mechanism of short drugs.
Hospitals don’t have medicines, but many patients and their families told reporters that there are still Xi Ning for sale on online platforms such as JD.COM and Taobao, but the price of a box of 30 tablets is nearly 1000 yuan, which is nearly 20 times higher than the hospital price.
The reporter inquired about JD.COM, Tmall and other e-commerce platforms on the Internet and found that the price of a single box of Xi Ning was around 1000 yuan, while the price of Xi Ning sold in hospitals was about 50 yuan, and the price of e-commerce platforms increased by nearly 20 times.
Family members of patients: Last year, I could see a box in 180 yuan, and this spring, it was almost a box in 600 yuan. Now it should have risen to more than 1,000 yuan, and it is quite difficult to buy.
Family members of patients: A small box of medicine, 30 tablets, can be sold from more than 50 yuan all the way to 980 yuan, which is unbearable, because this medicine needs to be taken for a long time.
In addition to the high price, the supply of online shopping channels is also a concern for patients and their families.
Gao Jiechun, director of the Institute of Medical Management of Fudan University: Since it is a drug, even if it is bought online, how can it be separated from the national price monitoring? Therefore, for the safe use of drugs and the normal and orderly drug market, it should be all-round and comprehensive drug monitoring.
The reporter learned from the Shanghai Municipal Health and Wellness Commission that Xining has indeed been out of stock intermittently since 2016, but alternative drugs can be found in clinic, so it has not been included in the shortage of drugs for hanging nets. The supply shortage of Xi Ning may continue. At present, how should these Parkinson’s patients transition? Professional doctors suggest that the specific drug substitution plan still depends on the actual condition of the patient.
Wang Jian, Chief Physician, Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University: If it is made in China, then its formula ratio is different, so my advice to patients is to let them try to find a doctor who specializes in Parkinson’s disease. In most cases, it can be replaced with other drugs.
As a matter of fact, the shortage of cheap life-saving drugs is not limited to the rest. In recent years, there are shortages of protamine for heart surgery and Cedilan injection for heart failure. How to improve the supply guarantee mechanism of drugs in short supply is a problem worth pondering.
Li Gang, vice president of the Oriental Hospital affiliated to Tongji University: There may be two main reasons for the shortage of drugs. The first category is raw materials, such as the lack of raw materials; The second is the reason for corporate profits.
Gao Jiechun, director of the Institute of Medical Management of Fudan University: For some cheap drugs, the profit may be higher, because its absolute profit makes it motivated. Conversely, for some high-priced drugs, we can make its profit lower, but its absolute value is not necessarily low. This is a pricing principle.