Pharmaceutical watchdog takes action to curb price gouging of Tamiflu

Panic buying has gripped some localities, with residents rushing to purchase Tamiflu, an antiviral medication containing Oseltamivir used for the treatment and prevention of influenza. As per sellers’ explanation, this surge in demand has been fueled by widespread concerns regarding potential shortages, leading to a significant increase in the price and difficulty in obtaining the medication.

A pharmacy owner in Thu Duc City reported yesterday that the purchase price of a box of Tamiflu 75mg is VND690,000, while the selling price to customers can reach VND750,000. Despite this high price, the drug is currently out of stock. The situation is more critical in Hanoi and some northern provinces, where the number of flu cases is increasing due to the prolonged cold weather.

Contrary to rumors of scarcity, the Tamiflu drug import company confirmed that there are still more than 10,000 boxes in stock and the company will import about 50,000 more boxes. Domestic enterprises also produce and supply drugs containing the active ingredient Oseltamivir, currently having over 300,000 tablets. The Ministry of Health has affirmed no shortage of flu treatment drugs and the wholesale price remains the same.

To date, there have been no reports of any significant changes in the virulence of the influenza viruses currently circulating within the country, indicating that the severity of the flu season remains within expected levels.

To ensure early detection and timely response to potential outbreaks, robust and continuous surveillance of infectious diseases continues to be conducted throughout the country. Therefore, health officials advised everyone to calmly follow information from professional agencies and properly follow medical recommendations as the most effective disease prevention solution.

Blindly stockpiling flu medicine due to herd mentality only benefits speculators, leaving patients to bear all the risks, said health officials.

In fact, profiting from epidemics is not uncommon. The Covid-19 pandemic has witnessed a "fever" of masks with prices 10 times higher than the actual price.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam, under the Ministry of Health, has issued a directive to health departments to conduct thorough inspections and investigations into potential violations related to the sale of antiviral drugs for influenza treatment. This directive specifically targets violations of regulations governing reasonable drug pricing.

The directive emphasizes that any act of exploiting the current situation to artificially inflate drug prices for personal gain will be subject to penalties as outlined in Decree No. 87/2024/ND-CP of the Government. Furthermore, organizations and individuals found to have engaged in such price gouging will be required to rectify the situation and reimburse customers for any excessive profits gained from these violations.