pharmaceuticals in China

[Guest guest]

>From reading the postings in this group, I gather that the attention is on

the penetration of the chinese herbal medicine in the Western health care

system. But, what about the other way? I wonder about the impact of the

penetration of the Western pharmaceutical industry in China on the further

development of the chinese herbal medicine. Any comments? Here are some

figures published by Beijing Consultech, a pharmaceutical consulting firm

in China.

 

rene

 

==================================================================

OVERVIEW OF CHINA PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET IN 1999 AND Q1 2000

 

Based on statistics from China's key pharma enterprises in the first

quarter of 2000, the industry realized 25% and 22% growth in sales

revenue and profit compared with the same period of last year.

 

Drug Production

 

The total production of pharmaceutical products amounted to 220,500

metric

tons in 1999, up 12.4% from 1998. Vitamins and respiratory drugs saw

increase of 35-39% in output, while anti-infectives and antipyretic

analgesics up 12.4% and 9.4%. Exports went up by 23% in value terms, and

12.2% by volume, indicating more value-added products were exported.

 

In terms of bulk drugs, the following drugs recorded large margin

increases

(Table 1).

 

Table 1. Key Bulk Drugs with Increases in Output

 

Drugs Growth of output

Azithromycin +1000%

Caffeine +22%

Cefotaxime +94%

Furazolidone +215%

Lincomycin +52%

Neomycin +88%

Nicotinamide +400%

Norfloxacin +14%

Paracetamol +28% Taurine +234%

Theophylline +56%

Vitamin E +191%

 

Regarding formulations production, Table 2 shows that sustained release

and

controlled release tablets saw 90% increase in output. Production of

capsules experienced 6% growth to 47,500 million in 1999. That of

injections fell by 20% chiefly due to the drops of output of

dexamethasone,

gentamycin, vitamin C, vitamin B6, compound aminopyrine injections.

 

In the first quarter of 2000, some products recorded 100% increase in

production. Among them are streptomycin injection, ceftazidime injection,

ceftriaxone injection, sulbactam/cefoperazone injection, cefuroxime

injection, clindamycin injection, nimodipine controlled release tablet,

captopril sustained release tablet, nimodipine tablet, metformin tablet,

caltrate D tablet, aspirin tablet, paracetamol tablet, naproxen tablet,

sulindac tablet, salbutamol tablet, gliquidone tablet, fat emulsions,

compound amino acid injections, ofloxacin capsule, ciprofloxacin capsule,

amoxicillin capsule, indomethacin capsule, cortisone eye drops,

ciprofloxacin capsule and cefradine granules.

 

Table 2. Production of Formulations

 

Formulations Growth of output

1999 Q1 2000

Sustained/ controlled release tablets +90% +46%

Capsules +6% +20.7%

Large volume parenterals +0% +21%

Powder injections -6% -9.8%

Injections -20% -5.6%

Tablets -10% +16.7%

Suppositories +109%

Drops +54.2%

Sprays (Nebula) +107%

Oral liquids +325%

Granules +31%

 

Import and Export

 

Based on statistics from the Chinese Customs Office, exports of major

drugs

are listed in Table 3.

 

Table 3. Drug Exports in 1999

 

Product Export volume (MT) Export Value (US$ mn.)

Amino Acid 18,300 65.6

Aminophylline 1,059 9.8

Ampicillin, amoxicillin, 6-APA 171 4.0

Analgin 7,360 32.8

Aspirin 7,526 15.0

Caffeine 5,931 37.1

Chloramphenicol 1,314 22.0

Citrate 182,830 159.0

Cortisone 84 33.5

Ephedrine 224 11.2

Furazolidone 1,325 6.0

Gentamycin 362 22.0

Heparin sodium / 54.8

Inosine 1,306 9.2

Kanamycin 121 7.8

Lincomycin 427 32.3

Paracetamol 19,214 49.2

Quinolones 405 9.1

Rifampin 198 10.1

SD 1,200 9.2

SMZ 1,818 11.4

Streptomycin 1,015 23.5

Tetracycline 3,425 39.5

Vitamin B2 384 9.8

Vitamin B6 461 8.8

Vitamin C 28,793 146.3

Vitamin E 6,471 85.8

 

Major export countries are shown in Table 4.

 

Table 4. Major Drug Export Destinations in 1999

 

Rank Country Values (US$ mn.) Variety of drugs

1 US 226.8 30

2 Germany 147.3 30

3 Netherlands 62.6 25

4 Japan 48.4 25

5 Hong Kong 39.5 29

6 India 35.9 27

7 Korea 33.9 32

8 Belgium 28.7 11

9 Italy 27.8 18

10 Thailand 26.6 27

11 Indonesia 24.7 24

12 Spain 19.0 23

13 Pakistan 16.7 27

14 UK 14.2 15

15 Canada 11.3 17

16 Australia 9.4 11

17 France 9.1 16

18 Russia 7.8 19

 

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[Guest guest]

Rene Leiva wrote:

>

> I wonder about the impact of the

> penetration of the Western pharmaceutical industry in China on the further

> development of the chinese herbal medicine. Any comments?

 

I noticed that there was the genesis of interest in dietary supplements

(ala vitamins and minerals) while I was there a few years ago. These are

not at all as widely available as they are in the USA. I actually

considered China a rather sizable potential market for these things that

had yet to be really introduced to the Chinese. If the vitamins and

minerals had been introduced, I saw no indication of it in Kunming.

 

--

Al Stone L.Ac.

<AlStone

http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com

 

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

 

Attachment: vcard [not shown]

[Guest guest]

wrote:

>

Rene,

>

> I wonder about the impact of the

> penetration of the Western pharmaceutical industry in China on the further

> development of the chinese herbal medicine. Any comments?

 

Pfizer has had a research alliance with the Beijing

Academy of TCM since about 1995. I know little of

the substance of the work done there, but I aim to

find out more in the near future and will gladly

share what I learn.

 

My general impression of one important impact is

the perception of the Chinese materia medica as

a gold mine of previously unidentified sources of

extant pharmaceutical extractions as well as a

possible source of previously unidentified active

ingredients.

 

This search for active ingredients, of course,

ignores the principles of Chinese formula writing

when it is conducted on individual herbs. So there

is an implicit redefinition of the focus of investigators

from the traditional to the modern pharmaceutical

concerns.

 

One fairly practical ramification of the influx

of money to support this kind of mining for

pharmaceutical extractions from single herbs is

that it diverts money and attention from investigation

of the admittedly more complex and difficult studies

of formulas, formulations, processing methods,

and so on.

 

 

Al wrote:

 

I noticed that there was the genesis of interest in dietary supplements

(ala vitamins and minerals) while I was there a few years ago. These are

not at all as widely available as they are in the USA. I actually

considered China a rather sizable potential market for these things that

had yet to be really introduced to the Chinese. If the vitamins and

minerals had been introduced, I saw no indication of it in Kunming.

 

In Chengdu, as well as other large Chinese cities

I've been in recent years, there has been a veritable

explosion of interest in American healthfood supplements.

Vitamin consumption has been popular for many years

as well. My mother-in-law is one of the chief purchasing

pharmacists at the largest Western medical facility

in Southwest China and she buys tons of vitamins.

 

I'll see her next month and see if I can get any

statistics. But were I to describe the use of

vitamins and whole raft of other healthfood store

types of supplements in these urban areas in China

I would say " widespread. "

 

Ken