Is it easy to buy mitotane in the country?

Mitotane is an important drug for the treatment of adrenocortical cancer (adrenal cancer). Although its original drug has been approved for marketing in China, patients still face difficulties in purchasing it domestically.

First of all, mitotane has been introduced in the Chinese market for a short time and has not yet formed a mature distribution system, resulting in relatively limited drug supply. Secondly, because mitotane is not included in the national medical insurance catalog, patients need to bear higher out-of-pocket costs, which affects the accessibility of the drug to a certain extent. In addition, domestic pharmacies and hospitals currently have relatively few reserves and supplies of mitotane. Some patients can only rely on the limited stocks of large tertiary hospitals or specialist hospitals, and the purchase process is relatively complicated. For patients in need of treatment, they often need to purchase them through designated channels after a doctor writes a prescription, and drug prices are not yet fully transparent, increasing the financial burden and purchasing difficulty for patients and their families.

In comparison, the supply of mitotane in overseas markets is relatively complete, especially in Europe and Turkey. The specifications of the original drug are mostly 500 mg per tablet, 100 tablets in a box, and the price is about 9,000 yuan. Exchange rate changes may affect the specific selling price. Overseas mitotane original drugs usually undergo strict quality control and supervision, have rich experience in clinical use, and can be easily obtained by patients through hospitals or professional pharmacies.

It is worth noting that there are also many generic versions of mitotane in overseas markets. The ingredients of these generic versions are basically the same as those of the original drug, and the efficacy is equivalent, but the price is relatively low. For example, the price of generic mitotane from countries such as Laos is only a quarter or even lower than the original drug, about more than 2,000 yuan per box, and is also 500 mg × 100 tablets, providing more price options and reducing the financial burden on patients.

Reference materials:https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00648