In a press release published on Wednesday, a union of community pharmacists, the USPO, denounces a traffic which “is gaining momentum” and “intended for clandestine export with falsified prescriptions or not.” Some boxes are sometimes resold for 5,000 euros each.
France, soon to be a hub… of paxlovid? For the past few days, requests for this antiviral administered to people at risk of developing serious Covid-19 have only increased in pharmacies. And worry pharmacists.
The USPO union advises pharmacists to “carefully check prescriptions for this treatment and to remain vigilant”, and affirms that the competent authorities have been “alert”.
Up to 5000 euros per box in China
In several pharmacies, some buyers do not hesitate to offer up to 200 euros in cash to obtain a box of Paxlovid. “He told me he was reselling it between 3000 and 5000 euros in Beijing”, writes a Parisian pharmacist on a professional Whatsapp loop.
“Be careful, big traffic with China with huge resale prices. Do not go into this business, knowing that it is state stocks”, writes one of her colleagues.
Because these boxes are the subject of heavy traffic in China, in the face of the new outbreak of contagion. On instant messaging, many resellers offer, with video support, delivery within 24 hours. The selling price to these traffickers? 325 euros per box, while the drug is billed 5.10€ by Social Security…
Solicitations that even reach a quasi-industrial scale from importing wholesalers. “There are people who are looking for 1000, 2000, 5000 boxes of paxlovid”, testifies to BFMTV Alain Grollaud, president of the group of pharmacists.
France’s strategic stocks would be substantial and would therefore attract covetousness. Faced with the scale of the phenomenon, several pharmacists’ unions seized the Ministry of Health on Wednesday to try to find a solution.
