In China, a Dark New Black Market Emerges: Fake COVID Medication

Chinese laboratories are raising the alarm over a new potential danger to public health amid a massive wave of COVID-19 infections: a growing trade in fake antiviral medication. China is experiencing a severe shortage of approved antivirals such as Paxlovid, manufactured by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which has opened the door to a thriving black market for COVID medication in recent weeks. Boxes of Paxlovid are now selling for as much as 50,000 yuan ($7,200) on the black market, forcing many in China to seek out cheaper alternatives. That is driving a surge in demand for generic versions of the drug produced by Indian manufacturers.

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