Generic drug shortage continues

The shortage of generic medicines considered essential against COVID-19 continues in various drugstores and pharmacies in metropolitan Lima.

For example, La República confirmed that in Inkafarma and Mifarma from av. Los Chancas (Santa Anita) do not have stock of paracetamol in any presentation. In the case of the first, there is only azithromycin at S/ 1.30 per unit and S/ 13 for the generic blister, however, in the second they only sell the Pfizer laboratory brand, valued at S/ 33.30.

In nearby pharmacies like the Good Neighbor or BNF, the generic paracetamol blister can be found, but for a few more coins, fluctuating between S/ 1.50 and S/ 2.00. But there is no azithromycin.

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In Lince, precisely on av. Julio César Tello, azithromycin and paracetamol have been out of stock for three days in Mifarma and Inkafarma. “There hasn’t been for several days, we don’t know when they will bring,” the workers assured. In stores such as Boticas Perú and Boticas Hollywood, the generic paracetamol blister is worth S/ 1.00.

The lack of paracetamol and azithromycin is also replicated in San Juan de Miraflores, precisely in the branches of Inkafarma and Mifarma in front of the María Auxiliadora hospital, as well as on Av. Gran Chimú de Zárate (San Juan de Lurigancho), repeating the ignorance of the sellers themselves about the date to replenish the stock. It is worth emphasizing that both chains have been indicating that they are relocating these products daily, but the reality differs from their position.

Call of Congress

From Congress, the parliamentarian Norma Yarrow (Avanza País) referred to the Minister of Health, Hernando Cevallos, the need to report on the actions they will take to guarantee the supply of generic drugs.

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For its part, Elizabeth Cortez (JPP), presented a bill to regulate the maximum prices of COVID-19 tests. “It is necessary for the State to intervene to guarantee that health is a right and not a commodity,” he said.