Tamiflu flu drug price increases, doctors warn of heat

After the news that actress Barbie Hsu died of the flu while traveling in Japan, many Vietnamese people were confused, worried and bought Tamiflu in advance.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hang (Kien Hung, Ha Dong, Hanoi) said that her whole family had flu symptoms so she rushed to buy the antiviral drug Tamiflu. However, the stores near her house were all out of stock. Ms. Hang went to a large drug market in Hanoi to buy it, the seller asked for a deposit and then 1-2 hours later to pick up the medicine because of shortage. Each pill costs 66,000 VND and is sold in packs of 10 pills. Because she was worried about complications from the flu, this woman paid a deposit and was able to buy 1 box.

According to a reporter's survey, at a pharmacy on Nguyen Quy Duc (Thanh Xuan, Hanoi), the seller said that up to now, the entire pharmacy system in Hanoi no longer has Tamiflu, and it is unclear when the goods will be available.

Similarly, the pharmacy chain located on Vu Trong Phung Street (Thanh Xuan, Hanoi) no longer has antiviral flu drugs from Tamiflu to Flustad 75.

In addition to stores, online drug markets are also experiencing shortages of this drug. According to Ms. Duong Thi Thuy (Ha Dong, Hanoi), currently the prices of flu drugs have increased, so sellers do not dare to "hold" them for fear of falling prices and not being able to "push" the drugs. Sellers will "transfer" drugs if customers ask in advance.

According to Ms. Thuy, the current price for online customers is 750,000 VND/box (French goods) and 650,000 VND (Russian goods). The seller will ship the goods from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and the customer must deposit, the seller will ship.

On the website of the Drug Administration of Vietnam (Ministry of Health), the price of Tamiflu with the active ingredient Oseltamivir (in the form of oseltamivir phosphate) 75mg in the form of hard capsules, box of 1 blister pack of 10 capsules, is regulated at 44,877 VND/capsule, equivalent to nearly 450,000 VND/box.

Flustad 75 medicine with active ingredient Oseltamivir (in the form of Oseltamivir phosphate 98.53mg) 75mg in hard capsule form is also listed by this agency at 18,000 VND/pill, equivalent to 180,000 VND per blister pack (10 capsules per blister pack). However, the current price has been pushed up to 350,000 VND/blister.

Associate Professor Do Xuan Dung, Head of the Faculty of Public Health, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, warned that self-purchasing of flu medicine causes a very dangerous shortage, leading to many people who need the medicine not having it.

Dr. Dung said that the flu drug Oseltamivir is prescribed for patients with the flu, but not everyone needs to use it. Young, healthy people with no underlying diseases who only have sneezing, runny nose, and mild fever do not need to take antiviral drugs. The drug itself also has side effects and can cause drug resistance.

The active ingredient Oseltamivir is used in influenza testing and is prescribed by a doctor. Usually, the elderly, patients with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunodeficiency are recommended to use it.

Dr. Dong Phu Khiem of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (Hanoi) said that people should not buy antiviral drugs on their own. This can cause unnecessary costs, leading to drug shortages, making it difficult for those who need it, or increasing drug resistance. Antiviral drugs are only beneficial for people at risk of severe influenza infection and with severe symptoms.

In addition to antiviral drugs, antibiotics should not be used arbitrarily, because antibiotics do not work against the flu and have many harmful effects in this case.

According to Dr. Khiem, seasonal flu is a disease caused by strains of influenza virus that are still circulating in the community, often breaking out in small outbreaks, occasionally with large-scale outbreaks.

Seasonal flu can be said to have "low virulence" so it usually only causes severe flu in people with high risk factors (people over 65 years old, young children, pregnant women in the last 3 months, people with underlying respiratory, cardiovascular, immunodeficiency diseases...).

People should not be too panicked or worried, but they should not be complacent either. People with underlying medical conditions should be very careful. When they have symptoms of fever, sore throat, or runny nose, they should go for a flu screening and evaluation, and consider taking antiviral drugs early to prevent the risk of severe flu infection.

People with underlying cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, cirrhosis, immunodeficiency... should get a flu shot every year.