Roszdravnadzor: Panic buying has caused drugs and masks disappear

13 November 2009, 13:54

(Kazan, November 12, Tatar-inform, Emma Sitdikova). The growth in respiratory viral disease and flu, including swine flu, has caused a panic and feverish demand. This has led to the disappearance of antiviral drugs and medical masks and growth in their prices.

The Tatarstan division of the Rospoterebnadzor consumer rights and human welfare authority are tacking the situation. They are inspecting pharmacies for antiviral medicines and analysing the prices.

According to the authority’s deputy head Lubov Shaikhutdinova, it is neither the fault of the pharmacies nor of the suppliers. They would be glad to sell but have just run out.

“The situation differs by the area: 30 percent of the inspected pharmacies have the anti-viral drug minimum available. The prices are as stipulated by the law. Therefore, business cannot be blamed for violating the pricing terms. A drug may however go through several wholesalers before it gets to Tatarstan, each of which could increase its prices by up to 20 percent.

Pharmacies cannot be blamed for not having a range of drugs on sale either. They request the wholesalers to supply medicines almost every day but the wholesalers do provide to them insufficient amounts. It is just that there is not enough for everybody amid the panic buying.”

A total of 6 thousand packs of Arbidol is stored for emergency cases at the Tattekhmedfarma warehouse, the official said. An order for producing masks has been placed in China and Germany, as well as in Nizhnekamsk. The foreign-made masks are expected to arrive in Tatarstan next week.
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