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As the number of patients with severe cases is rapidly increasing, inventories of the drug, Paxrovid, are bottoming out.

In response, the government will bring in another oral treatment called 'Laguebrio' as early as this week.

After approval by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, it seems that it will be administered to patients who cannot use Paxrovid. 



Correspondent Park Jae-hyun.



<Reporter> In



some areas of Gyeonggi-do, it is difficult to obtain 'Pax Lovid' from ten days ago.



[Gyeonggi-do Paxrovid Dispensing Pharmacy Pharmacist: I get about ten calls a day.

However, because there is no medicine, we cannot provide medicine.]



Some confirmed patients and their families go to other local pharmacies.



[Gyeonggi-do Paxrovid Dispensing Pharmacy Pharmacist: Some people call each pharmacy after receiving a prescription.

Not here, but to other areas (sometimes go there.)]



The number of Pax Lovids introduced so far is 163,000 people.



Due to the recent surge in the number of confirmed cases, the stock is only for 76,000 people.



Although the government has not disclosed it because it is a contract matter, there is also an analysis that it is not easy to introduce a large amount of additional quantity in a short period of time.



So, we decided to introduce another edible treatment, 'Lagebrio' from MSD.



Of the 242,000 pre-orders, 100,000 will arrive this week at the earliest.



Lagebrio, whose ingredient name is molnupiravir, has no contraindications other than cladribine for the treatment of leukemia.



It is considered a substitute for Pax Lovid, which contains 23 ingredients that should not be eaten together.



[Jung Eun-kyung/Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: When both drugs are used, the doctor decides by considering the supply and demand situation for the drug, the drug being administered, and these parts...

.]



The effect of preventing severe illness or hospitalization is 3 or 40%, which is lower than Paxrovid, which is 80% or more.



The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's review is still in progress, and we plan to announce whether emergency use will be approved by the 24th.