Immunoglobulin was rumored to be "crazy", and someone sold it for 1,500 yuan a bottle! What is the availability?

　　Sino-Singapore Jingwei, December 30th (Wang Yuling Chang Tao) "1500 yuan a bottle, the supply is too tight, so the price has increased." When talking about the recent sales of intravenous human immunoglobulin (pH4), a Hubei province Drug dealers told Sino-Singapore Jingwei.

　　A staff member of Cardinal Pharmacy (Guangzhou Yuexiu Store) told Sino-Singapore Jingwei, "There are two last bottles left in stock, and if you don't come soon, there will be no more."

　　According to public information, intravenous injection of human immunoglobulin is a kind of blood product, and it is the main substance of the human body's immune response to foreign antigens (such as bacteria, viruses, and other toxins or foreign bodies), also known as antibodies.

　　In the near future, due to the rapid increase of patients with new coronavirus infection in many places, intravenous injection of human immunoglobulin (hereinafter referred to as immunoglobulin) has been out of stock in some areas. How is its supply and use?

Which patients is it suitable for?

The supply of immunoglobulin is tight, and pharmacies say they are out of stock in line

　　Sino-Singapore Jingwei noticed that on social platforms, many netizens posted that they were seeking immunoglobulin.

Some netizens said: "Human immunoglobulin for intravenous injection is really crazy, and there are no goods everywhere."

　　"Our elderly are using it to improve immunity. Originally, it cost more than 500 yuan a bottle, but this month it has already cost more than 600 yuan. Recently, it is out of stock. The pharmacy said that even if it is available, it will increase to more than 700 yuan." Sino-Singapore Jingwei said.

　　Some netizens posted a short video on a social platform saying, "Huge crowds snapped up immunoglobulin, and 1,500 people grabbed 480 numbers." The identity call to the pharmacy has not yet been connected.

　　Sino-Singapore Jingwei called Haoyaoshi Pharmacy (Taikang Store), which is also located in Wuhan, and the other party said that the immunoglobulins of Haoyaoshi Pharmacy are currently out of stock. Regarding the situation of queuing up to buy at the Longyang Avenue Fulu Road store, " The people who lined up today didn’t buy it, so we can’t be sure when it will arrive.” The staff responded.

　　The staff of Cardinal Health Pharmacy (Guangzhou Yuexiu Store) responded to Sino-Singapore Jingwei, saying that there are still the last two bottles left, and they are very nervous.

staff said.

　　A doctor from a cancer hospital in Jilin Province told Sino-Singapore Jingwei that the current immunoglobulin is not sufficient and is basically out of stock. The hospital basically receives patients after tumor surgery or chemotherapy. Now they use lactoferrin or whey protein isolate instead .

Drug companies cite rising demand, price adjustments

　　According to public information, immunoglobulin is a blood product, a special biological product prepared from blood through bioengineering technology.

In accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Blood Products, the state has strictly regulated the collection and supply of raw plasma as well as the production and operation of blood products.

　　From the perspective of immunoglobulin distribution channels, it mainly includes medical institutions, blood product companies, and some qualified pharmacies.

　　In the case of tight channel supply, some private purchasing agents have also emerged. The above-mentioned drug distributors in Hubei Province told Sino-Singapore Jingwei that the current price of intravenous human immunoglobulin (ph4) from Taibang Biotech is 1,500 yuan, and it will arrive this afternoon. Mail, freight collect.

"The supply of goods is too tight, so the price is raised." The dealer said.

　　Regarding the purchase and injection of immunoglobulin through personal channels, Cen Xinan, chief physician of the Hematology Department of Peking University First Hospital, said in an interview with the media that due to the lack of medical knowledge of ordinary people and the scarcity of these drugs, they are not sure about these drugs. Actual rumors.

However, drugs such as immunoglobulin and human albumin are not mysterious or magical, and patients must follow the doctor's advice when using them.

When there is no symptom, the public must not listen to rumors and inject at will.

　　As far as the supply situation of pharmaceutical companies is concerned, Shanghai RAAS stated on the interactive platform on December 29 that at present, the market demand for intravenous human immunoglobulin products has increased, and the product price has been slightly adjusted.

According to the 2022 semi-annual report of Shanghai Raas, its intravenous injection of human immunoglobulin achieved operating income of 668 million yuan.

　　Sino-Singapore Jingwei called the sales of Bohui Innovation in South China as a pharmacy purchaser. The other party said that there may be a certain shortage of immunoglobulins at present, but the specific situation needs to be further confirmed with the biological products department.

　　On the afternoon of the 30th, the staff of Weiguang Biology responded to Sino-Singapore Jingwei, saying that the demand for immunoglobulin has indeed increased recently, but the specific supply situation needs to be confirmed with the marketing and sales department.

"We mainly sell to distributors, and distributors will sell to medical institutions. Recently, we have also received frequent calls to purchase immunoglobulins." The staff responded.

　　According to the 2022 semi-annual report of Weiguang Biotechnology, its main products are blood products, including human albumin, immunoglobulin, and blood coagulation factors.

During the reporting period, Weiguang Biotech achieved a total operating income of 232 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 30.95%.

The net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies was 46.8867 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 32.98%.

For the current price increase behavior of some pharmacies, is it a price gouging?

　　Zhang Xiaoguang, a lawyer from Beijing Xinkai Law Firm, analyzed to reporters from Sino-Singapore Jingwei that the number of people infected with the new crown virus has surged recently, and medical products and supplies related to epidemic prevention and control have experienced shortages to varying degrees. It is not uncommon for illegal businesses to take the opportunity to increase prices.

On June 10, 2022, the State Administration for Market Regulation issued the "Guiding Opinions on Investigating and Dealing with Illegal Price Gouging Behaviors (Draft for Comment)", which further clarified the criteria for identifying "price gouging" behavior, focusing on three types of violations: "Price gouging" behaviors include fabricating and disseminating information about rising costs and tight supply of goods;

　　If the operator constitutes the above-mentioned illegal acts of driving up prices, he shall be punished in accordance with Articles 14 and 40 of the "Price Law of the People's Republic of China" and Article 6 of the "Provisions on Administrative Punishment of Illegal Price Acts". Operators who drive up prices will be severely punished in accordance with the law.

Punishment measures include an order to make corrections, confiscation of illegal gains, and a fine several times the amount of illegal gains. If the circumstances are serious, an order to suspend business for rectification, or even revoke the business license.

　　As for the price increase of immunoglobulin in some pharmacies, Zhang Xiaoguang analyzed that if the merchants take advantage of this period of time that the supply of products exceeds demand and greatly increase the price of products, and at the same time there is no sharp increase in raw materials and manufacturing costs, it should be illegal for profit. For legitimate competition behaviors, the relevant regulatory authorities should increase the severity of rectification and punishment in order to maintain the normal order of market transactions.

Pharmacists say there is abuse, who should use immunoglobulin?

　　Sino-Singapore Jingwei noticed that in the "Diagnosis and Treatment Program for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (Trial Ninth Edition)", it is mentioned in the antiviral treatment that intravenous injection of COVID-19 human immunoglobulin can be used early in the course of the disease for patients with high-risk factors, virus Patients with higher load and faster disease progression.

The dosage is 100mg/kg for light type, 200mg/kg for common type, and 400mg/kg for heavy type, intravenous infusion. According to the improvement of the patient's condition, it can be infused again the next day, and the total number of times should not exceed 5 times.

　　Palin Bio said on the interactive platform on December 23 that the intravenous injection of human immunoglobulin produced by the company can enhance the body's anti-infection ability and improve immunity, and has been included in the recommended list of drugs related to the treatment of new coronary pneumonia by Guangdong Province.

　　But it is worth noting that there are certain differences between COVID-19 human immunoglobulin and immunoglobulin.

A pharmacist in a tertiary hospital explained to Sino-Singapore Jingwei that there is a certain degree of abuse of immunoglobulins.

He analyzed that clinically it is generally believed that immunoglobulin can enhance immunity, but the COVID-19 human immunoglobulin mentioned in the ninth edition is a specialized new crown immunoglobulin, which contains a large number of anti-new crown antibodies. In research and development, there are certain differences from the current immunoglobulin.

　　According to public information, the intravenous injection of COVID-19 human immunoglobulin (pH4) is currently under research.

Tiantan Bio previously announced that the "intravenous injection of COVID-19 human immunoglobulin (pH4)" developed by the company's subsidiary Sinopharm Group Wuhan Blood Products Co., Ltd. won the approval for clinical trials in the United Arab Emirates in October 2021. The clinical ethics review, clinical drug clearance, pre-clinical enrollment and other preparatory work have been completed according to the requirements, and the Phase II clinical trial has recently been carried out in the United Arab Emirates.

　　Wang Jianxin, senior consultant and immunology expert of Hanhai (Wuxi) Life Sciences International Innovation Port, also told Sino-Singapore Jingwei that immunoglobulins are specific, and the treatment of new crowns requires antibodies against new crowns.

If it is really necessary, you can consider using the serum of patients who have recovered from the new crown, and it is recommended that relatives and friends can donate it.

"This relatively rare product is used for the elderly or people with low immunity. It is really needed at present, and the serum of recovered patients is the best. When the epidemic broke out in Shanghai at the beginning of this year, Shanxi supported a large number of serums from recovered patients." Wang Wang Jianxin said.

　　An immunology researcher believes that the

"It is of course more targeted to be able to use immunoglobulin from recovered patients. However, if we look at it from a higher level, in fact, the severe disease and death of the new crown are not mainly caused by the virus infection itself, but by secondary bacterial infections, inflammation and organ failure. , so a broader immunity boost is more effective," said the researcher.

(For more report clues, please contact the author of this article, Wang Yuling: wangyuling@chinanews.com.cn) (China-Singapore Jingwei APP)

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