Are we short on treatments for over 5000 COVID-19 patients?

Most of treatments are imported, but multinational companies say the current supply level is stable

“Stock of treatments reserved for over 2 million patients, supposed to last for one year”

As of 4 p.m.

 

on Mar.

 

4, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Korea has reached 5,328.

 

The public is now closely watching the supply capacity of insurance-covered treatments.

 

Apparently, the half of the reimbursed treatment list is imported from overseas.

 

Fortunately, the healthcare sources report the pharmaceutical supply shortage is not an imminent concern at the moment as reimbursed items have plenty of stocks and Korean-made alternative options are available as well.

 

From Mar.

 

1, Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) has been disclosing the information of COVID-19 treatment distributors.

 

The 35 COVID-19 treatments with amended reimbursement standard, as notified by Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), include interferon as a supplementary therapy for virus infection treatment, antiviral medication Ribavirin and immunoglobulin.

 

Kaletra, imported by AbbVie Korea, is considered to be a tentative candidate of COVID-19 treatment.

 

Although the number of infected patients is soaring, multinational companies’ items are solely depended on imports.

 

This is why the public is keen on the reserved stock.

 

Kaletra supplier AbbVie Korea’s official explained, “Kaletra is manufactured overseas and is imported to Korea.

 

There exists a concern of reserved stock of the item, but AbbVie is striving to promptly respond to the global public health crisis.” The official added, “The company is committed to supply treatment urgently to countries with rapid transmission of the infection.

 

And the effort continues through providing stable supply of experimental option for treatment of confirmed COVID-19 patients.” The company ensured the supply shortage is not at an alarming level as it is also working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and global health authorities.

 

Other multinational companies have issued similar statements.

 

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is currently supplying orally inhaled influenza treatment Relenza Rotadisk as a treatment option for COIVD-19.

 

Sources reported the reserved stock of the treatment could be provided to over 2 million patients.

 

Industry insider elaborated, “Relenza for 2.5 million patients were imported in 2015, and they would expire in 10 years.

 

In case of various nationwide infectious disease outbreak and novel influenza, the Korean government has secured emergency pharmaceuticals for 30 percent of the overall population.” “Relenza was also part of it, and about 2 million patients worth of stocks are reserved under the government’s management,” the insider added.

 

Apparently, the shortage is not an imminent issue if COVID-19 is contained at the current level or spreads only slightly more.

 

Roche Korea, supplying interferon-based virus infection treatment supplementary, Reoferon and Pegasys , has reserved one-year worth of their stocks.

 

Roche stated the reserved stock of two imported interferon medications would last for three to four quarters, based on the past average volume.

 

As the use of the treatment has not skyrocketed since the COVID-19 outbreak, the supply of the products would be under control assuming the present condition continues.

 

The company explained there are multiple companies manufacturing and importing interferon medications, and also the treatment needs would not be focused on one specific item as there has not been a confirmed treatment for COVID-19.

 

An immunoglobulin treatment, IV-Globulin S injection, provided by GC Pharma also predicted, “As the company manufactures 100 billion won worth of volume annually in Korea, the medication stock would not run short.” Regarding the issue, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) noted, “We are constantly checking with pharmaceutical companies about the supply shortage via Korea Orphan and Essential Drug Center.

 

We are not at the level to be concerned of.”