Profiteers driving tocilizumab price to as high as P100K

A COVID-19 patient bared that a certain individual is trying to sell her vials of tocilizumab for P50,000 to P100,000.

Interviewed over Joseph Morong's "24 Oras" report, COVID-19 patient Pie David said he had no choice but to ask for tocilizumab supplies after a Manila-based hospital treating her said they were running out of supplies.

"Nagulat ako akala ko worth P5,000. Mayroon naman siguro ako pambili pero noong sinabi na P50,000 to P100,000 doon na ako nagsabi... nakakahiya nag-ask pa ako," she said.

(I was surprised that the price was that high, I thought I can pay for P5,000.)

David said finding tocilizumab added to her worries on top of her expenses at the hospital.

Nevertheless, David secured the tocilizumab from local government unit in Manila.

Pharmaceutical company Roche Philippines said they had to raise their supply to 5,000% to address the needs of COVID-19 patients in the country.

However, they warned that they will also have shortage of supplies.

"Due to the unprecedented surge in worldwide demand and supply constraints, we will experience shortages of tocilizumab across the globe for the next several weeks and months ahead," Dr. Ma. Teresa Dioko, Regulatory and Medical Affairs Leader in Roche Philippines, said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they expect more tocilizumab supplies this month while stocks of another COVID-19 drug remdesivir is still enough until December this year.

Duque said they are looking into using baricitinib, which is worth P1,900 per vial, as a replacement for tocilizumab.

But he revealed that there is not enough data to determine if the baricitinib is "equal or superior or inferior to tocilizumab."—Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News