Chinese turn to black market for generic Indian Covid-19 drugs as surge sweeps nation

Limited supply and steep price of the two approved Covid-19 antivirals driving many Chinese to opt for cheaper but illegal imports from India

Indian generics have not been approved by the Chinese government and selling them is a punishable offence

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Primovir and Paxista are Indian-made generic versions of Pfizer’s Paxlovid. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:05pm, 26 Dec 2022Updated: 11:12pm, 26 Dec 2022

Chinese residents have turned to the black market for generic Covid-19 drugs, as an unprecedented pandemic outbreak ramps up demand for limited supplies of approved antivirals.

China approved two Covid-19 antivirals this year – Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Azvudine, an HIV drug from Chinese firm Genuine Biotech. But both are only available in certain hospitals.

Their limited supply and steep price have driven many Chinese to opt for cheaper but illegally imported generic drugs from India.

Topics like “anti-Covid Indian generic drugs sold at 1,000 yuan (US$144) per box” have been trending on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with users exchanging messages and tips on ways to get hold of the medicines.

Four kinds of generic anti-Covid drugs from India are being sold illegally in the Chinese market – under the brand names Primovir, Paxista, Molnunat and Molnatris.

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