In addition to the increasing demand for flu vaccination, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Tamiflu drug market also fluctuates, with price differences between points of sale, and even out-of-stock situations.
In addition to the increasing demand for flu vaccination, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Tamiflu drug market also fluctuates, with price differences between points of sale, and even out-of-stock situations.
Shortage of drugs to treat and prevent seasonal flu
At many pharmacies in Ho Chi Minh City, employees reported being out of stock when asked about Tamiflu 75 mg (a drug containing the active ingredient Oseltamivir, used to treat and prevent influenza A and influenza B).
Meanwhile, some other pharmacies have this medicine in stock, but the price ranges from 75,000-85,000 VND/pill (750,000 VND to 850,000 VND/box of 10 pills).
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| Tamiflu prices skyrocket as flu A cases rise. |
At a pharmacy on Thuan Kieu Street (District 11), after mentioning the desire to buy Tamiflu for treatment, the drug seller said the current price is 850,000 VND/box of 10 pills. The drug is scarce and the store only has two boxes left.
At another pharmacy on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street (District 10), when asked to buy this medicine, the seller said that a doctor's prescription is required and the current price is 750,000 VND/box. However, the buyer will have to wait about 30 minutes to call someone to bring it from another place to the store.
However, on the website "Look up drug prices" of the Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health, Tamiflu hard capsules (75mg), box of 1 blister pack of 10 capsules is priced at 44,877 VND/capsule, equivalent to nearly 450,000 VND/box. Flustad 75 drug with active ingredient Oseltamivir (in the form of Oseltamivir phosphate 98.53mg) 75mg in hard capsule form is also listed by this agency at 18,000 VND/capsule, equivalent to 180,000 VND/box of one blister pack (each blister pack of 10 capsules).
People should not buy and stockpile in large quantities.
According to a representative of the FPT Long Chau Pharmacy System and Vaccination Center, customer demand for information about Tamiflu this time has increased 7 times compared to normal days.
In particular, the selling price of Tamiflu remains stable compared to before at 520,000 VND/box of 10 tablets. Currently, the supply of Tamiflu is still lacking compared to customer demand. However, FPT Long Chau is still working with manufacturers and distributors to have more timely supply to serve customers. Therefore, customers should not buy and stockpile large quantities, affecting the treatment opportunities of other patients.
Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association, said that people are currently buying and using Tamiflu on their own. In fact, this is a drug that can eliminate the flu virus. However, the drug has side effects, so it is very dangerous for people to use it on their own. According to medical literature, the drug can affect the mind.
In addition, using Tamiflu without permission can cause drug resistance. When Tamiflu resistance occurs, it is difficult to find other drugs that fight the flu virus. Tamiflu must be used early. If symptoms such as cough, runny nose, etc. appear within 2-3 days of using the drug, the drug is ineffective or very ineffective.
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| People should visit a specialist for instructions on proper medication use. |
According to Dr. Khanh, buying drugs on your own can lead to many risks such as fake drugs, poor quality drugs and incorrect dosage. Therefore, when suspecting illness, people need to see a specialist for instructions on how to use the drug properly, appropriately and effectively.
“With the above factors, I think it is not necessary for people to hunt for Tamiflu because the epidemic will end. The important thing now is to maintain good resistance and detect the disease early,” Dr. Khanh emphasized.
Faced with the situation where people are rushing to buy Tamiflu again, the Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health said that currently, drugs containing the active ingredient Oseltamivir are still guaranteed in supply.
“Acts of taking advantage of and increasing selling prices for personal gain will be punished according to Clause 4, Article 15 of Decree 87/2024/ND-CP dated July 12, 2024 with a fine of 50-80 million VND for individuals. For organizations, the fine is doubled according to the provisions of Clause 4, Article 3 of this Decree.
In addition, according to the provisions of Clause 5, Article 15 of Decree 87/2024/ND-CP, organizations and individuals who commit this violation are also required to remedy the consequences, specifically, they must return to customers the amount of money they have profited from the administrative violation," according to the Department of Drug Administration.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/so-ca-mac-cum-a-tang-gia-thuoc-tamiflu-bien-dong-d246574.html
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