November 05, 2024 13:26 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Pakistan's Lahore has become world's most polluted city with an AQI of 1900 on Sunday | Indian Army 'successfully completes' patrolling to a key point in Ladakh's Depsang region | US presidential election: Donald Trump ahead of Kamala Harris in swing states, poll survey predicts | 'I strongly condemn Hindu temple attack, intimidation of our diplomats': PM Modi amid Canada row | 'I strongly condemn Hindu temple attack, intimidation of our diplomats': PM Modi amid Canada row
China COVID-19 surge: People turn to black market for generic Indian drugs
China COVID Surge
File photo of a Chinese medicine store by Alvinbeta2 via Wikimedia Commons

China COVID-19 surge: People turn to black market for generic Indian drugs

| @indiablooms | 29 Dec 2022, 01:25 pm

Beijing: Chinese residents are turning to the black market for generic Covid-19 drugs as the country is combating the rise in infection in the country, media reports said on Wednesday.

China approved two Covid-19 antivirals this year – Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Azvudine, an HIV drug from Chinese firm Genuine Biotech. But both are only available in certain hospitals, South China Morning Post reported.

Their limited supply and steep price have driven many Chinese to opt for cheaper but illegally imported generic drugs from India.

Topics like “anti-Covid Indian generic drugs sold at 1,000 yuan (US$144) per box” have been trending on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, with users exchanging messages and tips on ways to get hold of the medicines, the newspaper reported.

Incidentally,  four kinds of generic anti-Covid drugs from India are being sold illegally in the Chinese market – under the brand names Primovir, Paxista, Molnunat and Molnatris.

The Chinese government has not approved Indian generics and selling them is considered punishable.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
Xi Jinping, Putin in Russia 22 Mar 2023, 02:56 pm
Related Videos