Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided for now against imposing a ban on the bulk buying of antipyretics, or fever reducing medicines, following a meeting with local drug manufacturers and pharmacy associations.

A shortage of the well-known antipyretic and painkiller Panadol has been reported in recent weeks, though the government has said supplies of other drugs containing the same active ingredient, acetaminophen, remain stable.

The matter has nevertheless prompted discussion over whether measures should be taken to guarantee the supply of antipyretics, particularly amid fears that people could be buying large quantities of the drugs to send to friends or family in China, where COVID-19 is surging.

In an interview Monday, FDA Director-General Wu Show-mei (???) said she held a meeting on the issue the same day with 28 active pharmaceutical ingredient and acetaminophen-based drug manufacturers, as well as representatives of several major pharmacy associations.

Based on their responses, she said, supplies of acetaminophen-based drugs are sufficient and no further action needs to be taken, though pharmacies will continue to regularly report their sales figures to the government.

According to Wu, manufacturers of the relevant active pharmaceutical ingredients have more than 10 months’ stock of raw materials, meaning that there is no imminent risk of a shortage of antipyretics.

She still encouraged the companies to bolster their reserves, however, because 80-90 percent of Taiwan’s pharmaceutical raw materials are imported from China, where demand for drugs has soared because of the massive outbreak there of COVID-19.

Due to the risks of overconcentration in a single market, the FDA will help expedite the regulatory process for companies seeking to import pharmaceutical raw materials from other countries, she said.

The FDA reported on Sunday that Taiwan currently has an inventory of 54 million courses of acetaminophen painkillers and 910,000 courses of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel