Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Vietnam: Hundreds of billions wasted in the purchase of Tamiflu

[this article confuses me. did they purchase 3 million doses and 2 million are going to waste? Maybe I can find a better translation....it can give us an idea of how much Tamiflu they actually used....]

Tuesday, 07/09/2010

Room Rates Tamiflu H5N1 avian influenza by the Health Ministry has proposed to buy is high, but the company also assigned drug store to buy more expensive. Also, Vietnam has been stockpiling Tamiflu outstrip demand, according to recent conclusions of the Government Inspectorate.

Inspector concluded that, from late 2003 to late 2005, the country recorded only 91 cases of H5N1 flu in 32 provinces. But in a report dated 22/11/2005, Ministry of Health proposal to re-reserve enough pills 30 million (3 million doses for 3 million) before 6/30/2006. The proposal is groundless as the actual happenings on the situation of avian influenza in Vietnam and many countries around the world.

Because of the large number and order in a short time, so the Health Ministry can not buy the raw materials of the company Roche - after the time provided in August 2006 (a term used for 10 years, cheaper price ) but to buy raw materials of India (3 year term and is used only more expensive).

Besides, the basis for selection to participate drug production plan, the Ministry of Health has established a committee for evaluation. But the council did not comply with assigned tasks.

In the minutes of the Council to work with content companies have no bargaining on prices, the minutes do not have the signatures of representatives of the companies evaluated, no clear conclusions about the evaluation results in each company. In addition, while no report of the Minister, the Council sent an order for four out of 10 companies at the check in the company.

This includes four companies: Pharmaceutical companies and Supplies - Phu Yen Health, Pharmaceutical Company Cuu Long Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and the Company Imexpharm Stada Vietnam.

Regarding prices, the Ministry of Health does not actively cooperate with the Ministry of Finance to build bracket buy drugs, do not write orders and delivery unit for self-seeking companies to buy raw materials, leading to the evaluation passive and drug price must depend on the price proposed by the company.

Indeed, prices of raw materials four reserve companies assigned high drug prices than the Health Ministry reported.

Specifically, the Health Ministry report price is $ 12,000 a kilogram of raw materials from India while the purchase price of the 4 materials companies from $ 17,500 to $ 18,500 a kilogram.

Thus, the Ministry of Health has irresponsibility in helping companies find sources of raw materials for medicine production and management of drug prices, lack of responsibility in the examination, clarification of the financial revenues and expenditures related to four companies.

Inspector concluded that the Government has spent more than $ 562 billion to four companies produce nearly 20 million pills, but nearly half of these drugs was abandoned waste, and not used to it now expired.

At the warehouse of the Ministry of Health still over 21 million tablets of Tamiflu is more than 10 million users who have expired, including more than 9 million members is domestically produced drugs have expired since March 2009 (fraction remaining drug assistance).

Before the mistakes above, the Government Inspectorate Ministry of Health proposed review responsibilities, dealing with collective and individuals related violations, the proposed treatment of all drug use has expired (more than 10 million). At the same time moving bodies continue investigations to clarify the purchase price of raw materials.

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