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While the government temporarily suspended the free vaccination due to the distribution of the flu vaccine, citizens who visited the Health Promotion Clinic of the Korea Health Management Association in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, in the Tomorrow the 23rd, they are getting the flu shot for a fee. [연합뉴스]
The aftermath of the cessation of the colostrum flu vaccine is intensifying. It is an environment of distrust that runs through the entire flu shot, free or no charge. Even with the background of Shinsung Pharm, who was in charge of procuring vaccines, was involved in the government’s vaccine business for the first time this year, various suspicions abound. Among these, despite the fact that the vaccination period advanced by about a month compared to the previous year, the theory of government responsibility also arose from the fact that the selection of a distributor in charge of the supply was delayed by almost two months. It was noted that there was a problem in conducting business without properly verifying the distribution capabilities of the company, as more time was needed to select a company due to the effect of low-priced bids.
Government responsibility for the spread of influenza vaccine insecurity
The unit price is too low, the reservation continues
Shinsung Pharm participates in vaccine procurement for the first time this year
I can’t handle low temperature distribution due to tight schedule
According to the Public Procurement Service ‘Nara Marketplace’ (system for the procurement of material from public institutions) on the 23rd, the tender for an influenza vaccine for this year’s national vaccination started on June 24, but was re-announced repeatedly until the last successful offering as Shinsung Pharmaceutical on August 26. It took more than two months to select a company due to repeated inspections.
The Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention selects wholesale companies to purchase influenza vaccines for national vaccination projects in the year around June-July through a tender from the Public Procurement Service. According to the Nara Market, the tender to buy vaccines for the elderly, children and pregnant women ended last year in early July. Compared to that time, this year’s schedule has been delayed by almost two months.
There is a lot of backstory as to why it took an unusually long time to choose a company. Wholesale companies registered as a drug handling business can freely participate in the tender, but there is an analysis that this year, due to a vaccine handling case, the existing company did not receive a supply agreement from the manufacturer due to the investigation of the prosecution.
An official from the Public Procurement Service said: “I participated in the bidding process, but there are cases in which the contract was made by not presenting a supply contract.”
The industry sees that there is also a continued impact of the government’s adherence to excessively low unit prices. Actually, the estimated unit price and the market price are significantly different. The market price of the flu vaccine is over 10,000 won. The estimated unit price presented in the vaccine advertisement is 8,790 won per dose. Even so, the estimated unit price per dose suggested in the first sale announcement was 8,490 won, down 300 won. An industry insider said: “The reason for the multiple visits is that the unit price given to pharmaceutical companies is not correct.”
Representative Kang Ki-yoon, the People’s Power, also noted that “the hospital supply price for paid vaccines is about 14,000 won, and there is a structural problem where strong and verified companies did not actively participate in the bidding because the Agency for Disease Control and Prevention set the price of free vaccines too low. ” Some point out that if a contract is signed at a low unit price, the company looks for an inexpensive consignment company with little management capacity to minimize cost during the distribution process.
The selection of a company was delayed by about two months compared to the previous year for various reasons. This year, the government increased the number of free candidates due to concerns about the ‘twin’ in which the flu and the new coronavirus (Corona 19) are simultaneously epidemic, and the vaccination time was limited from early October to mid-October. October. I kept going for months. This is the reason why Shinsung Pharm, which participated in the national procurement project for the first time this year, about two weeks before the start of the vaccination business (September 8), is reported to have caused an accident while serving a tight schedule. Shinsung Pharm was selected at the end of August and the final contract was concluded on September 4, four days before the start of the company. Shin Seong Pharm Chairman Kim Jin-moon also said in an interview with this magazine: “I could not carry the cold chain (low temperature distribution) to the end because the time to select a drug distribution company was short in a situation in which we had to start distributing vaccines from September 8. ”
Reporters Hwang Soo-yeon and Moon Hee-cheol [email protected]
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