Among 13 pharmaceutical companies that stopped producing some drugs because they could not purchase raw materials, including a Zhejiang pharmaceutical company.
In fact, Zhejiang pharmaceutical companies affected by the shortage of APIs are not only on the list.
Hu Kun (pseudonym), the head of a pharmaceutical company in Zhejiang, who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years, is seldom so anxious as he is now. He has just received a quotation compiled by employees, and five APIs are monopolized by dealers. Among them, chlorpheniramine maleate (also known as chlorpheniramine, which is mainly used for rhinitis, skin and mucous membrane allergy and relieving cold symptoms such as tears, sneezing and runny nose) rose 58 times in one month, from 400 yuan/kg to 23,300 yuan/kg.
"This (price) is too outrageous." Hu Kun said that the general distribution also gave him another plan. "The supply price of raw materials has doubled, but drug sales will give them a rebate of 0.05 yuan per tablet."
Considering only a few raw materials with current price increase, the annual raw material cost of Hu Kun factory will increase by at least 6,543,800,000 yuan. It doesn't sound like much, but the situation is getting worse. "This year's API exhibition, many API companies refused to sign contracts." In his view, this is a signal, "the price of raw materials is going up!"
A strange phone call
Three years ago, at about this time, the buyer of Hu Kun factory received a strange phone call, saying that he would be contacted with inosine (an API used for leukopenia, various heart diseases, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, etc.). ) In the future, they will be "national distributors".
"At first we thought it was a fraudulent phone call, but the contact with the original raw material pharmaceutical factory was actually true." Hu Kun can't help but say that "general distribution" is just a brand name. "In fact, this is a monopoly. There are only two or three manufacturers of inosine raw materials in the country, and all the sources are in their hands. "
The first thing that happened after the "full distribution" of inosine was the price increase: from 2065438 to July 2005, the price of inosine rose from 92~95 yuan/kg to 200 yuan/kg, with an increase of more than100%; It rose to 600 yuan/kg in July this year. It has increased fivefold in three years.
"I met them once two years ago." Hu Kun said that these distributors usually contact pharmaceutical companies by phone or WeChat, and even sign contracts with third parties. "If something goes wrong, they can't take responsibility."
That meeting was because the other party wanted to monopolize the inosine products produced by Hu Kun factory. Originally, Hu Kun did not need to stand up in this level of business negotiations, but he secretly participated in the title of vice president of sales: "I just want to know who is hiding behind the scenes."
Come and have a taste of Hubei Mandarin. Speaking of medicines, I don't know, but the terms given are quite generous. "The other party asked for underwriting, and the supply price was 30% of mine. The contract period is two years. " Later, Hu Kun realized that this was basically a "model contract" for general dealers: it was underwritten for two to three years, and the supply price rose by 30%~50%. Few pharmaceutical companies will refuse such an offer. "If you don't have to worry about sales, you can make more money. Who doesn't want to? "
A raw material medicine has increased 58 times a month.
The market is different from three years ago. The monopoly list of APIs in Hu Kun has changed from two to five, and the trend will be more. Among them, after being monopolized, the price of chlorphenamine maleate soared from 400 yuan/kg to 23,300 yuan/kg, up 58 times in one month.
Why not find another supply channel? "I also hope to have another channel!"
Only six domestic manufacturers have been approved for chlorphenamine maleate. "But in fact, only two companies are actually producing." Hu Kun said frankly that the phenomenon of idle approvals is very common. "There is no big fluctuation in the supply and demand of the API market, and the price is stable. Basically, two or three large pharmaceutical companies occupy more than 90% of the market. Therefore, it is easier to monopolize the market and manipulate prices. "
The complete distribution of chlorphenamine maleate is a typical example. At the end of 65438+February last year, Shenyang Xindi was reported to have illegally produced chlorphenamine maleate, which was later verified by China Food and Drug Administration and its GMP certificate was revoked. Since then, Henan Jiushi Pharmaceutical Factory is the only one.
"At that time, it was rumored in the industry that chlorpheniramine was going to be monopolized." Two months ago, this concern became a reality. In May of this year, when the buyer went to place an order, what he got from Henan Jiushi was not the raw material medicine, but a total distribution phone. "We don't have distribution rights, so we went to them with the goods."
The cost of raw materials has increased by 58 times, and it is estimated that the production of many pharmaceutical companies will be affected. "Although chlorpheniramine is a small variety of raw materials, the finished drugs produced are all anti-allergic and anti-cold cheap drugs, involving market demand of nearly 100 billion yuan." Hu Kun said that the ex-factory price of the finished drug processed by chlorpheniramine in their factory is only 1 yuan, and if the cost goes up so much, he can only stop production temporarily.
According to industry insiders, raw materials have risen too fast, and pharmaceutical companies have either stopped production or raised prices. In the end, ordinary people pay the bill.
Qianjiang evening news reporter inquired about the Food and Drug Administration of China, official website, and found that there were 42/kloc-0 drug approvals directly named after chlorphenamine maleate, and more than 2/kloc-0 drug approvals containing chlorphenamine maleate, including commonly used drugs such as Biyan tablets.
Small variety and large dosage are also the two criteria for general dealers to choose the target. "A small variety means that there are not many manufacturers of this API, which is easy to negotiate, while a large quantity means a large profit margin."
However, this situation is getting worse. Among the newly monopolized API varieties, "glucose" is impressively listed. Glucose is a raw material drug involving nearly 5000 drug approvals, and the daily dosage of glucose injection alone is countless. "I didn't expect their courage to be so great that even large varieties of APIs dared to speculate." Hu Kun said that the latest news he heard was that even the glass bottle manufacturers who produced glucose bottles came to talk about "underwriting".
Why do pharmaceutical companies dare to be angry?
It's not just Hu Kun that is affected. Qianjiang evening news reporter immediately called two Zhejiang pharmaceutical companies, and the other party admitted that the price increase of APIs was "true", but kept his mouth shut about the details and suppliers involved.
During the two sessions this year, Hu Jiqiang, chairman of Kang Enbei, publicly stated that the prices of many raw materials have increased by 20 to 30 times compared with previous years. A few years ago, the raw material price of uric acid was 30~40 yuan/kg, but it rose to 900 yuan/kg in recent two years. Finally, government departments intervened to continue production.
Since this is an open secret in the industry, why do most pharmaceutical companies remain silent?
"There is no way to talk about it. (We) can't bargain for fear that they won't give the goods. " Hu Kun said bluntly that once there is any trouble, "the other party (referring to the general distributor) will know when to carry out the inspection. If we know, we will stop supplying, and we can only stop production. "
An urgent problem facing Hu Kun is: What about the large-scale government procurement order that won the bid?
"If you abandon the bid after winning the bid, you will be blacklisted by the government. If you participate in bidding in the future, you will be restricted and you will not be able to get large orders. If you produce according to the original order, you can't afford it. " Hu Kun said that the price of raw materials has risen after receiving orders. "Loss 10% ~ 20%, bullets have been done, and now it has risen too much!"
At lunch, Hu Kun met with the sales manager. He said that he had drafted an application for price adjustment of government-invited products, which was to be submitted to the higher authorities the next day.
Can you approve it? Hu Kun doesn't know, maybe it will be rejected as an unreasonable application.
A few days later, Hu Kun sent out a list of the latest price increases of APIs in the circle of friends, and the list changed from five first seen by qianjiang evening news reporters to 14.
It set a record for the highest increase: phenol rose from 230 yuan/kg to 23,000 yuan/kg, up 99 times.
Chen, Secretary General of Provincial Pharmaceutical Industry Association:
The skyrocketing price of APIs is unsustainable.
Just hung up the phone of Chen Pharmaceutical Company, smiled helplessly, and came over to ask her to come forward to discuss the procurement of raw materials. As the secretary-general of Zhejiang Pharmaceutical Industry Association, she received many such calls this year. "Scientific research (APIs) can still find a way, and the production volume is large. Where can it be coordinated?" Chen Chuanying told qianjiang evening news that at the end of last year, China Pharmaceutical Enterprise Management Association conducted a special investigation on the price increase of raw materials.
At the end of July last year, the Zhejiang Provincial Price Bureau forwarded the decision of the National Development and Reform Commission on cases such as Zhejiang Xinsecco Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Tianjin Handewei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. abusing their dominant market position, selling isoniazid raw materials at unfairly high prices, and refusing to trade without justifiable reasons. The behavior of the above two companies was identified as "price monopoly", so they were fined 443,900 yuan.
Compared with the illegal income, a fine of several hundred thousand yuan is insignificant. It is no secret in the industry that APIs adopt the so-called "agreed price" and "distribution price". "I know something, but it is difficult to verify. "Chen Chuanying said," There are more complaints than reports ".
"However, the monopoly price of APIs is unsustainable, and the approval of APIs and pharmaceutical excipients is about to begin." Chen is optimistic. She said that in June 5438+February last year, the Administrative Measures for the Joint Review and Approval of APIs, Pharmaceutical Accessories, Packaging Materials and Pharmaceutical Preparations (Draft for Comment) began to solicit opinions, which means that APIs will no longer issue approval numbers separately in the future. "In other words, pharmaceutical companies can find their own API companies to produce APIs. As long as the quality meets the standards, they can apply for relevant approval, and the situation that APIs have to monopolize high prices will be alleviated. "
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