India to Export Fever Drugs to China Amidst Alarming Covid Gush

According to the Indian drug export committee on Thursday, December 22, India, one of the largest pharmaceutical producers in the world, is prepared to increase fever medication exports, including Paracetamol, to China as that country struggles with a surge in COVID-19 cases. As a result of China's abrupt relaxation of the stringent COVID regulations earlier this month, demand for fever medications, i.e., Paracetamol as well as Ibuprofen and viral test kits, surged on the mainland. This has prompted Indian Paracetamol retailers to impose limits on consumer purchases and pharmaceutical companies to increase production for Paracetamol.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hospitals in China appear to be getting busier as fears grow that a new Covid wave of Omicron will strike the nation. To keep the economy going, Chinese government authorities and businesses are allowing Covid-positive people to go back to work. Over the weekend, authorities in Zhejiang province said that anyone who tested positive for Covid might still go to work as long as they displayed no symptoms.

According to Sahil Munjal, chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), "marketing questions are coming to drug manufacturers and suppliers asking for bids on Ibuprofen and Paracetamol. China is currently facing a short supply of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol due to increasing demand as covid cases explode.

An email requesting comment was not immediately answered by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi. One of the largest makers of generic medications across the globe was ready to assist China, according to the foreign ministry. According to Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, stated, "We are keeping close tabs on the COVID situation in China. "As the global pharmacy, the Indian pharmaceutical sector has always supported other nations." In 2021/22, 1.4% of India's total exports to China were pharmaceuticals, according to the most recent data. India's top export destination for medications is still the US. Due to the alarming COVID-19 revival, the Indian pharmaceutical business's shares have increased in the last week.

According to ChemAnalyst, due to China's continued demand for Paracetamol, Indian producers are anticipated to increase production, which will have an impact on Paracetamol prices as anti-covid regulations are intensified. The Chinese economy is already slowing down as a result of the decline in Indian paracetamol exports to China.