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- 2026-04-13 01:42:36
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Ahead Kymriah’s NHIS negotiations
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jan 28, 2022 05:57am
- Only the National Health Insurance Service left to go, the ultra-high-priced novel CAR-T therapy ‘Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel)’ passed all the steps necessary for insurance benefit. In other words, the fate of Kymriah’s reimbursement now lies The fate of Kymriah’s reimbursement, a drug that costs around ₩500 million for a single shot, now lay at the hand of the NHIS negotiations. However, the prevailing view is that the road to reimbursement would not run so smoothly. The drug is indicated for: ▲ adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy, and ▲ patients up to 25 years of age with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) that is refractory or in second or later relapse The reimbursement standards set for Kymriah that is taking the PE exemption pathway differ by indication. Only the expenditure cap was applied to the B-ALL indication, but for DLBLC, the performance-based type of restriction was added to the expenditure cap. This means that the company would have to share a certain proportion of the cost used by DLBLC patients according to treatment performance. The problem is that unlike the mass-produced general drugs, a single batch of Kymriah is produced with the cells extracted for each patient, which brings the manufacturing cost to be astronomically high. In such cases, when the number of patients exceeds the expenditure cap set by the government, the exceeding cost directly becomes the burden for the company. Of course, Novartis Korea’s ‘efforts’ are essential to bring the ‘drug pricing negotiations’ through and reach an agreement, whether the efforts will definitively bring positive results remains unknown. Other drugs that are mass-produced and generally have a low manufacturing cost are not greatly affected in their profit structure when exceeding the expenditure cap set for the drugs. However, as Kymriah has a high manufacturing cost, just a few patients exceeding the expenditure cap can bring a significant burden. Also, reimbursement in the DLBLC indication has the added limitation of being performance-based. From the NHIS’s perspective, the authorities will be determined to protect the sustainability of its NHI finances by setting the right first step with Kymriah in preparation of the high-priced cell and gene therapies that are expected to pour in in the near future. With negotiations soon to engage, the wish is that those sitting at the negotiation table overcome the compulsion of deriving a certain result and consider the specificity of the manufacturing process as well as the limited number of patients subject to its care, and that the pharmaceutical company’s sincere ‘patient-focused’ mind shine through.
- Policy
- Publicized discussion on PAH reimbursement bears fruit
- by Choi-sun Jan 28, 2022 05:57am
- The issue regarding reimbursement standards set for pulmonary arterial hypertension drugs finally bore fruit three years after experts in Korea including the Korean Society of Cardiology, Korean Pulmonary Hypertension Society, The Korean Society of Hypertension, and The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases publicized the issue. The accumulated academic evidence presented by the academic societies on how the active use of combination therapy in the early stages directly translates to improved prognosis has shifted the government to actively embrace the data. According to societies including KSC on the 21st, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will be amending the standards for reimbursement of pulmonary arterial hypertension drugs and apply the changes from February. The average 3-year survival rate of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension in Korea is 54.3%, ranking the lowest among OECD countries. One of the main reasons attributable to this is considered to be the fact that combined use of drugs is only allowed for reimbursement in high-risk patients in Korea, unlike global clinical practice guidelines that recommend combination therapy from the early stages of treatment. The relevant academic societies’ efforts since 2019, such as holding NA debates, releasing a Korean clinical treatment guideline, proposing improvements to relevant institutions worked as momentum and recently brought rapid change in the reimbursement guidelines. In the amendment announced by the MOHW, the phrase “Use of two-drug combinations are recognized for patients who have used monotherapy for over 3 months and saw an inadequate clinical response, who may use combination therapy by adding one more drug with a different mechanism of action” remains the same. However, the criteria used to judge clinical response were eased greatly compared to before, with reference to the guidelines overseas. The standard of the 6-minute walking distance that was set at ‘less than 300 meters’ was amended to ‘less than 440 meters,’ and the standard that patients should belong to ‘Class IV pulmonary hypertension’ under the WHO Functional Classification was eased to ‘Class III or higher.’ Also, the Peak O2 consumption level was set to ‘below 15mL/min/kg, alleviated from ‘below 12mL/min/kg’; the diagnostic index for acute respiratory distress or heart failure BNP/NT-proBNP set to ‘50/300 or higher’ from the ‘300/1800 or higher’; Hemodynamics index to ‘RAP 8mmHg or higher or below CI 2.5L/min/㎡’ from the ‘RAP over 15mmHg or CI 2.0L/min/㎡or less.’ This corresponds to the intermediate-risk group under the 3-stage evaluation criteria that classify patients as low/intermediate/high-risk groups that was proposed by the Special Committee for the Establishment of Practice Guideline for Pulmonary Hypertension in 2020. In the past, only high-risk group patients were allowed to benefit from using the combination therapy, but the improved standards now allow moderate-risk patients to use combination therapy for their conditions as well. Patients who also satisfy at least one of the following criteria - ▲clinical evidence of right ventricular failure ▲speed of symptom progression ▲syncope ▲WHO Functional Classification – as well as at least one of the following criteria - ▲BNP/NT-proBNP ▲echocardiography findings ▲Hemodynamics index – at the same time may add one more type of drug with a different mechanism of action that was not used in the two-drug combination therapy. In the past, only selexipag oral tablets were recognized for reimbursement, but the scope was extended to drugs with other mechanisms of action. Regarding such change, the academic society’s response is that ‘the most urgent issue has now been addressed’ Jae-Hyeong Park, Professor of Cardiology at Chungnam National University Hospital, said, “the standards set to judge the clinical response in patients have been greatly alleviated. This closely corresponds to the amendment proposed by the society, so I believe many inconveniences in practice will be resolved.” Park added, “I would like to express gratitude to the health authorities for accepting most of the content in the latest guidelines of overseas academic societies," adding, It would have been better if the use of three-drug combinations were also allowed for initial patients whose condition worsens greatly, but still, this is a big change.”
- Policy
- Generics for Galvus will be listed next month
- by Kim, Jung-Ju Jan 28, 2022 05:57am
- Generics, which had patent disputes with Galvus, a DPP-4 inhibitor-based diabetes treatment, will be listed in earnest next month. This is because companies applied for a change in permit conditions and the MFDS approved it, making it possible to sell it immediately. According to the industry, the MOHW is pushing for a revision (proposal) of the drug benefit list on February 1. There are a total of five items available for registration next month, including Ahngook's Avusmet 50/500mg, Ahngook newpharm's Vildamet 50/500mg, Kyongbo's Vilda 50mg, Korea United Pharm's Healusmet, and Samjin's Vilguard M 50/500mg. Earlier, these items completed the item approval process last year, but their registration was suspended. This is because it could not be sold before March 4, the expiration date of Galvus' patent duration, due to the conditions of permission. The original Galvus has been filing a patent lawsuit for the release of these generics. After the Supreme Court's appeal was rejected on October 28 last year, the expiration date of the patent was confirmed to be March 4 this year, and generic companies also submitted a "patent-related confirmation" to the MFDS. Therefore, generic companies applied for permission to change to the MFDS between December 20 and 22 last year, and the MFDS completed approval between the 14th and 17th. The change is "the case where it is determined that it does not infringe on patent rights" in the existing "sale after the expiration of the patent duration." As a result, companies will be able to sell patents immediately under the condition that they do not infringe on them, and the MOHW will include five items that were suspended after deliberation as of the 1st of next month. Meanwhile, Price of Tamiflu Capsule 75mg will be adjusted 2.6% next month to reflect the results of the pharmacy's actual transaction price survey. The government implemented a large-scale reduction in drug prices of 3,829 items as of the 1st of this month after the actual transaction price survey, of which some data were found to be missing, reflecting the drugstore's claim price for Tamiflu 75mg Capsule.
- Company
- The NOAC market with ₩230 billion is fluctuating
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Jan 27, 2022 05:44am
- Lixiana, Pradaxa, Xarelto, Eliquis (clockwise from the top left)The NOAC market, which has grown to 230 billion won, has fluctuated due to generic drugs. After the Supreme Court ruling, Eliquis enjoyed reflective benefits as generics were withdrawn altogether. On the other hand, in the case of Xarelto, as generic products were released one after another due to the expiration of material patents, it seems to have slowed down somewhat. Lixiana maintained its No. 1 position in the market last year by repeating rapid growth. It was found that prescription performance decreased for the fourth consecutive year due to the prolonged slump in Pradaxa. ◆ Lixiana's annual prescription amount of increased by 16% year-on-year According to UBIST, the size of NOAC's external prescription market last year is estimated at 231.9 billion won. It increased by 10% from 211.1 billion won in 2020. NOAC is attracting attention as a drug with a lower risk of bleeding side effects and a greater thrombus prevention effect than Warfarin, a conventional anticoagulant. Sales have been rising since the early 2010s, replacing Warfarin. Market growth was led by Daiichi Sankyo's Lixiana and BMS' Elliquis. Sales of Lixiana recorded 84.8 billion won last year. It increased 16% from 72.9 billion won in 2020. Lixiana was the last NOAC to enter the market. While other NOACs were licensed in Korea from 2009 to 2011, Lixiana was licensed in 2015. It was then released in January 2016. Although it is generics, synergy with domestic partners is one of the reasons why it was able to quickly settle down as the No. 1 market. Daiichi Sankyo has joined with Daewoong Pharmaceutical since the launch of Lixiana. Lixiana quickly settled in the NOAC market due to the joint sales strategy of the two companies, and has topped the market since 2019, three years after its launch. Lixiana's annual prescriptions amounted to 4.8 billion won in 2016, 20.9 billion won in 2017, 39.5 billion won in 2018, 61.9 billion won in 2019, 72.9 billion won in 2020, and 84.8 billion won in 2021. Considering the current upward trend, it may exceed 100 billion won at the end of this year. ◆This is due to a 19% increase in the prescription amount of Eliquis, and generic withdrawal after the Supreme Court ruling Eliquis then ranked second in the NOAC market. Eliquis' prescription amount last year was 65.2 billion won, up 19% from 55 billion won in 2020. It is analyzed that the withdrawal of generic had a significant impact on the nearly 20% increase in Eliquis' prescription performance. In April last year, the Supreme Court overturned the previous first and second trials in a patent lawsuit surrounding Eliquis and sided with BMS, the original company. Shortly after the ruling, generics withdrew from the market. This is because BMS announced a claim for damages due to patent infringement. Generic companies won Eliquis' material patent trial in February 2018. It also won the second trial in March of the following year. Based on this ruling, Chong Kun Dang and Yuhan Corporation have launched a series of generics since June 2019. Generics posted a prescription of 1.2 billion won in 2019. In 2020, generic prescriptions increased to 9.4 billion won. However, due to last year's Supreme Court ruling, the prescription amount shrank to 5.4 billion won. Inventory supplied to retailers and others is also believed to have been completely exhausted. ◆Generic for Xarelto was released due to the expiration of the patent Last year, Xarelto's prescription amounted to 59.6 billion won. It increased by 4% from 57.3 billion won in 2020. Although it has increased slightly. In the case of Xarelto, it recorded an average annual growth rate of 14% for four years from 2016 to 2020. One of the reasons why Xarelto's prescription performance has slowed down is the launch of the generic. Many generics have been released around the expiration of Xarelto material patents (October 2020). Since then, a total of 1.6 billion won has been paid by the end of last year. Chong Kun Dang's strategy to preoccupy the market is drawing attention. Chong Kun Dang launched the generic in May 2020, before the Xarelto material license expired. Prior to this, Xarelto's material patent was requested for a passive trial to confirm the scope of rights. It launched the generic on the premise of winning Xarelto's material patent trial. Analysts say Chong Kun Dang has made a winning move to preoccupy the market. It is analyzed that Chong Kun Dang's winning strategy worked to some extent. Last year, the prescription amount of Chong Kun Dang's Riroxia was 1.2 billion won. Considering that the total amount of generic prescriptions from the remaining 16 companies was only 400 million won, the strategy of launching generic about five months earlier than other companies won. There is a possibility of losing the patent lawsuit. If Chong Kun Dang finally loses the patent suit against Bayer, patent infringement is recognized. At this time, large-scale compensation for damages is inevitable. Currently, Chong Kun Dang is waiting for the second trial ruling after losing the first trial. ◆Pradaxa prescription sales declined for the fourth consecutive year, and copromotion with Boryung ended Another NOAC, Pradaxa, is prolonged sluggishness. Pradaxa's prescription amount last year was 15.2 billion won, down 8% from 2020. If the scope is expanded, it has been steadily decreasing since 2017. It includes KRW 21.6 billion in 2017 to KRW 19.6 billion in 2018, KRW 18.7 billion in 2019, and KRW 16.5 billion in 2020. Beringer Ingelheim selected Boryung Pharmaceutical as a partner to make up for the slump. The two companies launched a joint sale of Pradaxa in 2018. However, Pradaxa's performance did not rise despite the addition of Boryung Pharmaceutical. Eventually, at the end of last year, Beringer Ingelheim and Boryung Pharmaceutical terminated the co-promotion contract under mutual agreement.
- Policy
- MNCs ask to “Innovate new drug reimbursement environment"
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Jan 27, 2022 05:43am
- The key content of the policy proposal that representatives of multinational pharmaceutical companies with branches in Korea presented to the People Power Party’s election campaign committee was that the government should establish or improve the National Health Insurance and drug pricing system to encourage the use of highly effective but expensive innovative new drugs. The policy proposal contained the request to pull forward the timing of insurance coverage for the companies' new drugs with measures such as preparing a separate source of finances other than the NHI finances by setting a new account for pharmaceutical expenses for severe diseases, introducing the ‘pre-(insurance) listing post-evaluation system, diversifying the risk-sharing agreement (RSA) scheme, and introducing a customized reimbursement model, etc. Also, requests on improving the domestic drug pricing system so that the innovative value of new drugs can be fully reflected in new drugs by improving the pharmacoeconomic evaluation system, and building a control tower for new drugs under the direct control of the president to reinforce nurturing/support/development of innovative new drugs. The Korean Research-based Pharmaceutical Industry Association will deliver a healthcare policy pledge proposal for the 20th presidential election that contains the contents above to People Power Party Representative Jun-Seok Lee on the morning of the 27th. The policies KRPIA asked for are laregly: ▲reducing the economic burden of patients by strengthening medical expenditure support ▲ improving the new drug listing system ▲Building a global hub to reinforce capabilities to develop blockbuster new drugs ▲introducing a global level evaluation system to rationalize the drug price decision-making structure ▲establishing a control tower for new drugs under the president. In other words, KRPIA’s policy proposal implies the need for innovation in NHI listing and reform of Korea's drug pricing system to enhance patient access to new drugs that are owned by the MNCs. The association saw that the current health insurance finances and catastrophic medical expense support system were insufficient to enhance patient access to new drugs. As its solution, KRPIA pointed to expanding subjects and the extent of catastrophic medical expense support while preparing a separate source of finances for the reimbursement of severe diseases or high-priced pharmaceuticals. In particular, the association stressed the need to establish a separate account to cover drug expenses for severe diseases by procuring additional finances from the national treasury and the Health Promotion Fund, as well as with refunds that the NHIS receives from the pharmaceutical company under their RSA contract, and cancer management fund, etc. The KRPIA also criticized the problems in Korea’s new drug listing system that reduce the use rate of new innovative new drugs compared to other advanced countries while delaying patient administration of such drugs due to the non-existence of an expedited reimbursement evaluation system. KRPIA suggested that the issue above can be resolved by introducing the ‘pre-listing post-evaluation system that allows for drugs to be listed for reimbursement first then be evaluated by health authorities to decide on a final price, diversifying the risk-sharing agreement (RSA) scheme, and introducing a customized reimbursement model, etc. Table for the pre-listing post-evaluation system KRPIA delivered to PPP KRPIA believed that signing an agreement that allows for the setting of an initial drug price based on foreign drug price while proceeding with the evaluation process so that drugs that are listed at a lower drug price or non-listed can be refunded to the government post-reimbursement, would reduce the government’s concern over wasting NHI finances. Also, as the current RSA system has a narrow scope of application, KRPIA requested that the RSA scheme cover drugs that have fiscal neutrality, recognized for the therapeutic need diseases other than cancer or rare diseases. Also, the association suggested introducing a detailed customized reimbursement model that takes into account the characteristics of individual drugs such as advanced biopharmaceuticals, rare disease drugs, and anticancer drugs and preparing an environment in which new drugs can be effectively listed through an expedited reimbursement evaluation system and advance negotiation system, etc. The KRPIA also raised the need for innovation in Korea’s drug pricing system. With the claim that the current drug pricing method cannot properly reflect the economic value of many new drugs, the association asked that the innovativeness of a drug be reflected in the drug’s price based on a drug price comparison method. Also, KRPIA stressed the need to create an environment in which the true value of a new drug is recognized by improving the evaluation process and increasing the transparency and redundancy of evaluations that are undermined during the process of multiple evaluations conducted for new drugs by several committees. In addition, the association proposed the construction of a control tower for new drugs under the direct control of the president to reinforce the competitiveness of Korea’s pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry and to develop blockbuster new drugs. New drug support in the current administration is less effective as it is tended to by various ministries including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Information and Communication, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, with no control tower to oversee the process. KRPIA stressed, “We need to open the era of customized health coverage for the people in which the nation covers the innovative treatment of severe rare diseases. We need to foster Korea to become a blockbuster new drug powerhouse by building an innovative pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical ecosystem and prepare measures such as introducing an appropriate value appraisal for new drugs.”
- Company
- Celltrion completes transfer of Takeda-acquired products
- by Ji Yong Jun Jan 27, 2022 05:43am
- (Clockwise from the left) Nesina, Actos, Edarbi, Albothyl, Whituben, Nesina Met (Pic=MFDS) The transfer of rights for Takeda Pharmaceutical’s products that Celltrion acquired is now complete. The license of OTCs and diabetes drugs that were sold under Takeda Pharmaceutical’s name has been changed to Celltrion Pharm. According to the industry on the 26th, the ownership of the license for Nesina Act Tab 12.5/30mg has been changed from Takeda Pharmaceutical to Celltrion recently. With the change, the company completed changing the license rights for drugs acquired from Takeda Pharmaceutical. This completion comes in around a year since Celltrion acquired the rights for some Takeda pharmaceutical products in the Asia Pacific region. In December 2020, Celltrion acquired the rights of 18 prescription drugs and OTCs in the Asia Pacific region for a total of $278.3 million (₩307.4 billion). Under the deal, Celltrion Healthcare will own the license and be in charge of distribution and sales overseas, and Celltrion Pharm of distribution and sales in Korea. Under the deal, Celltrion Pharm had been sequentially transferring the rights of Takeda products sold in Korea. The DPP-4 inhibitor class ‘Nesina (alogliptin) series’ and TZD class ‘Actos (pioglitazone) series,’ and ARB class hypertension treatment ‘Edarbi (azilsartan)’ are some of the key products that have been acquired by Celltrion. Also, the company is acquiring permits and rights for Takeda’s OTCs such as the cold remedy ‘Whituben’ and the stomatitis treatment ‘Albothyl.’ Celltrion Pharm secured the license rights of all acquired drugs other than Nesina Act 25/15mg·25/30mg, Actos Met, and Albothyl. The company had sped up the transfer process since then and completed the acquisition of all the rights recently. However, the diabetes treatment Basen and hypertension treatment ‘Madipine‘ were excluded from the transfer of rights. Both products are developed by Takeda and the domestic licensing and manufacture of the products are handled by HK Inno.N in Korea. The sales performance of the key products that were transferred to Celltrion is reflected as Celltrion Pharm’s performance. Last year's performance of such products was estimated to be around ₩700 billion. Data= UBIST Based on UBIST results, the outpatient prescription of products that were transferred to Celltrion from Takeda Pharmaceutical last year amounted to ₩67.9 billion. In detail, its Nesina series sold ₩30.9 billion last year, a 3.7% drop from the ₩32.1 billion of the previous year. In the same period, sales of its Actos series also dropped 8.1% from ₩28.4 billion to ₩26.1 billion. Last year, the Edarbi series maintained sales at a level comparable to the previous year with ₩10.9 billion. Last year’s sales of OTCs like Whituben and Albothyl were not counted yet, but the prolonged COVID-19 crisis and the resulting contraction of the OTC market are expected to have slowed down the performance of the drugs as well. An official from Celltrion Pharm said, “We have completed the transfer of rights for major products that we acquired from Takeda, and is planning to focus on expanding prescription sales in earnest from this year.”
- Policy
- PVA guidelines are about to be revised
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Jan 27, 2022 05:43am
- The NHIS is internally reviewing a revision to the guidelines that includes a 100 → 90% change in the arithmetic average exclusion standard and a 15 → 2 billion won increase in the claim exclusion standard from this year's "Type Da" negotiations. NHIS' Senior director Lee Sangil said at the Korea Special Press Association briefing held on the 25th, "The guidelines amendment is currently under internal review and will be revised so that it can be applied from this year's Type Da negotiations." On December 2 of last year, the NHIS announced a plan to improve the PVA negotiation system at the 10th public-private consultative body involving the MOHW, the NHIS, the HIRA, KRPIA, and KPBMA. According to the revision to the PVA guidelines, the same product group and upper limit price with the total annual claims of the same product group of less than 2 billion won are items with an arithmetic average of less than 90%. Director Lee said, "The expansion of the arithmetic average price standard is aimed at strengthening the management of large items excluded from the list because of the high insurance financial burden but lower than the arithmetic average," adding, "The upward revision to 2 billion won is to exclude items with small claims from PVA." Regarding the pharmaceutical industry's criticism that the revision of the guidelines was made to "lower prices as the pharmaceutical industry sells more," Director Lee said, "From an economic perspective, it is appropriate to cut prices because fixed costs for drug research and development will decrease costs if actual usage increases." In particular, he stressed that the more companies sell, the lower the price is in line with the purpose of PVA, which cuts the drug price of drugs that are a financial burden on insurance. Director Lee added," Jung Hae-min, head of the drug management office, also said, "As the revision of the guidelines was announced at the end of last year and the implementation date of this year was postponed, I think the pharmaceutical industry is curious about the change in details." It will be roughly released next month, he said. In addition, the NHIS has not yet delivered a review opinion to the MOHW on how to raise the maximum PVA cut rate from the current 10% to 15%. Director Chung said, "We have not yet made a proposal to raise the maximum cut rate by 15%."
- Policy
- The NHIS will begin research on improving the PVA system
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Jan 27, 2022 05:43am
- Manager Kim HyundukHealth insurance authorities have announced plans to place an order for research services to evaluate the PVA system and prepare improvement measures. It is said that it will further specify the targets for drug cuts and health insurance financial savings through PVA as large items. However, she replied that it is difficult to accept immediately the standard for PVA exclusion from the current 1.5 billion won to 5 billion won or 10 billion won desired by the pharmaceutical industry. On the 25th, Kim Hyun-deok made the remarks at the National Assembly's policy meeting on "Rational Improvement Plan for PVA." The NHIS said the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical society, the National Assembly, and the Board of Audit and Inspection have agreed on the need to improve the PVA system, one of the ways to reduce drug costs. Kim said she is pursuing the direction of discussions on PVA amendments targeting large items and plans to order research services to prepare overall system improvement measures. Director Kim said that she is aware of the problem of applying the PVA cut formula to all medicines collectively regardless of the absolute amount of increase. Director Kim said, "We are aware of the industrial problem of reviewing only the growth rate without taking into account the absolute increase in claims," adding, "We agree that it is necessary to evaluate PVA in general and prepare improvements." We plan to order research services this year, she explained. Director Kim said, "Many demands for PVA improvement have been raised not only by pharmaceutical and pharmacist societies, but also by the Board of Audit and Inspection and Inspection, no matter how much use increases, it is unreasonable to limit it to 10% with PVA. We will review it through research, she said. "The study also plans to discuss changing the standard amount excluding PVA from 1.5 billion won to 2 billion won, but we have to go step by step," she said adding, "The pharmaceutical community talks about 5 billion won and 10 billion won, but it is difficult to go so quickly." It was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1 this year, but it seems to have been delayed to collect opinions from the pharmaceutical industry, she added.
- Company
- Sales of flu treatments have decreased significantly
- by Chon, Seung-Hyun Jan 27, 2022 05:42am
- The outpatient prescription market also fluctuated two years after the landing of COVID-19. Sales in the pharmaceutical market, which is mainly used for infectious diseases such as influenza (flu) treatments, antibiotics, and expectorants, have decreased significantly. The flu treatment market has virtually disappeared. According to UBIST on the 24th, the amount of outpatient prescriptions for flu treatments last year was only 46 million won. It decreased 99.5% in a year from 8.8 billion won in 2020. Compared to 22.5 billion won in 2019, two years ago, the market size decreased by 99.8%. Flu treatment is the market where the most dramatic change has occurred since the spread of COVID-19. After the spread of COVID-19, the flu treatment market has virtually disappeared as the number of flu patients has plummeted due to strengthening personal hygiene management such as washing hands and wearing masks. According to The KCDA, since March 2020, when COVID-19 began to spread in earnest, the number of suspected patients per 1,000 outpatients has never exceeded the epidemic standard of 5.8 patients. Since recording 6.3 in the first week of March 2020, it has recorded less than five in nearly two years. This year, only 2.1 and 1.8 suspected flu patients per 1,000 outpatients in the first to third weeks of January. The flu treatment market has recorded less than 100 million won for six consecutive quarters since the market size recorded 1.8 billion won in the second quarter of 2020. In the fourth quarter of last year, the market size was less than 10 million won even though it was the flu season. In the case of Tamiflu, a leading flu treatment, the prescription amount reached 37.4 billion won in 2016, but only 40 million won last year. The antibiotic market was also damaged by the COVID-19 incident Last year, the amount of outpatient prescriptions for oral cephalosporin drugs was KRW 1.6.6 billion, down 8.0% from the previous year. It fell 28.2% from 27.1 billion won in 2020. Cephalosporin drugs are widely used antibiotics for pneumonia, sore throat, tonsillitis, and bronchitis. It is analyzed that the prolonged COVID-19 flu or a sharp drop in cold patients also affected the antibiotic market. In the case of other antibiotics, the damage is even greater. Last year, the prescription size of oral PCN drugs was 105.2 billion won, down 15.7% from the previous year. It decreased 40.8% in two years from 182.2 billion won in 2019 before COVID-19 hit. The situation was similar in the prescription market for other antibiotics such as Macrolides and similar drugs. Last year's prescriptions for Macrolides and others amounted to 86 billion won, down 6.6% from the previous year. Compared to two years ago, it fell 35.5%. The market size of expectorants used for phlegm and coughs in patients with colds and flu has also been greatly reduced. In 2019, the size of the prescription for expectorants recorded 182.2 billion won, down 29.8% to 127.8 billion won in 2020. Last year, it fell 15.7% again to 107.8 billion won. Last year, the prescription amount of expectorants shrank 40.8% from two years ago. Last year, the prescription performance of expectorants was 55.1 billion won, down 28.1% from the previous year. It was reduced 53.5% from 118.3 billion won in 2019. Prescriptions for last year fell 57.1% and 50.5%, respectively, from two years ago.
- Company
- KRPIA presidents will meet with Lee Joon-seok
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jan 26, 2022 05:57am
- Ahead of the presidential election, KRPIA and multinational pharmaceutical presidents will meet with the leader of the main opposition party. According to the Dailypharm's confirmation, the presidents of the KRPIA will hold a meeting with Lee Joon-seok, CEO of People's Power, tomorrow morning (27th). The meeting will be attended by Oh Dong-wook , CEO of Pfizer Korea, Lee Young-shin, full-time vice chairman of KRPIA, Kim Sang-pyo, CEO of AstraZeneca Korea, and Kevin Peters, CEO of MSD Korea. It has been confirmed that Rep. Seo Jung-sook (pharmacist), a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, and Rep. Lee Jong-sung will be present along with Lee Joon-seok . Through the meeting, the presidents of KRPIA are expected to deliver grievances, policies, and pledges from the perspective of pharmaceutical companies with the agenda of "expanding new drug coverage." Lee JunSuk Meanwhile, at the end of last year, KRPIA presidents agreed on the need to expand access to treatments for rare diseases in relation to the current government's plan to expand health insurance coverage called "Moon Care" and submitted a PE expansion opinion to the government. According to the opinion, many rare diseases do not meet the "serious disease conditions of threatening survival (less than two years of life expectancy)," which are conditions that can utilize the current special system (RSA and PE systems), but have a great impact on families, including direct medical expenses of patients. The association argues that evaluating the clinical need of these diseases only as life expectancy does not take into account the characteristics of rare diseases, and that even if the clinical need does not meet the criteria for less than two years of life expectancy, it should be added to the PE targets.
