MFDS updates drug supply suspension list from Q2 2019

MFDS recently notified drug supply suspension report updated from Q2 2019

Late disclosure to prevent hoarding, MFDS contemplating on immediately disclosing information

Handok and Korea AbbVie are respectively suspending the supply of antiulcer treatment Gabet tablet (ecabet sodium), and hepatitis C treatment Viekira (paritaprevir-ritonavir-ombitasvir) and Exviera (dasaabuvir sodium) in Korea.

 

According to the pharmaceutical industry on Jan.

 

15, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) recently disclosed a list of suspended drug supply suspension from the second quarter in 2019.

 

To prevent pseudo demand (panic-buy) on the drugs, MFDS withheld immediate disclosure of the news and posted the list on the ministry’s pharmaceutical information website after six months.

 

Accordingly, the website has been updating last year second-quarter’s drug supply suspension list from December last year.

 

The updated list informed Handok is ceasing the sales of Gabet 500 mg tablet after its April stock goes out as its annual sales volume has been too low.

 

The company explained, the supply of the medicine would be unaffected, because another product with the same agent (Jeil Pharm’s Ecat 500 mg tablet) is still available in the market.

 

Moreover, the supply of hepatitis C treatment Viekira and Exviera imported by Korea AbbVie has been suspended since August last year.

 

The decision was made as the company’s Mavyret with improved efficacy and better administration method has been released in September 2018.

 

GlaxoSmithKline Korea also stopped supplying Haemophilus influenza type B (HIB) vaccine Vaxemhib from August last year.

 

Apparently, the company has decided to shut down the manufacturing of the vaccine in Korea inevitably, due to the vaccine department’s plan to improve business efficiency and to integrate and check up production line.

 

The company noted that even if Vaxemhib supply is suspended, an alternative option, LG Chem’s HIB vaccine Euhib, is still accessible.

 

Jeil Pharm’s UFT-E 0.5 g granule supply has been cut as well since August last year due to the partner company’s decision to suspend supply in Korea.

 

The company informed patient’s access to treatment would not be affected significantly as other capsule products with the same substance are available.

 

Also, the company added it would hold on to its product license until the stock is completely out in the market and cancel it after confirming the stock-out.

 

Supply of an original antibiotics, Finibax 0.25 g injection (doripenem monohydrate) marketed by Ildong Pharmaceutical, has been stopped from August last year.

 

The importing company elaborated importing the product to Korea has been unfortunately ceased due to increasing deficit made by the high production cost.

 

JW Pharmaceutical stopped importing enteral nutrition solution Encover from June last year as the Japanese manufacturer has stopped supplying the product.

 

The Korean company has recently informed the product’s supply would resume from February.

 

A pharmaceutical company is required to report MFDS of suspension of d any rug supply 60 days prior to the time.

 

Apparently, the ministry is considering on disclosing the drug suspension information immediately to the public.