Introduction to the formal purchasing channels of Erdafitinib (Bocco) and comparison of drug purchasing methods at home and abroad

Erdafitinib has been approved for marketing in China and can theoretically be purchased through the domestic formal medical system, including oncology departments of some tertiary hospitals or hospital pharmacies with targeted drug supply qualifications. However, due to the short time the drug has been on the market, actual clinical distribution has not been fully covered. Many regional hospitals are temporarily unable to directly prescribe it or have insufficient inventory. In addition, it has not yet been included in the national medical insurance catalog. Patients often face practical problems of limited accessibility and high out-of-pocket burden when purchasing drugs in China.

In terms of domestic drug purchase routes, the most standardized way is still to issue a prescription and purchase drugs in a hospital system with prescribing authority after being evaluated by a doctor. The advantage of this method is that the source of the drug is traceable, medication guidance and adverse reaction monitoring are relatively complete, but the disadvantage is that the price is higher and it is difficult to buy it in time in some areas. Since patients are not covered by medical insurance, they have to pay the full amount out of pocket, and the overall financial pressure is great. Therefore, many patients will simultaneously learn about overseas drug purchase channels as a supplementary option.

In overseas markets, the original drug of erdafitinib is the Hong Kong version of the original drug, which is more common. It usually needs to be purchased through regular Hong Kong pharmacies or qualified medical service institutions. The price of each box is generally around RMB 20,000, which may fluctuate due to exchange rates and pharmacy differences. The advantage of the Hong Kong channel is that drug quality and compliance are relatively high, but the overall cost is still high, posing a significant financial burden to patients who take medications for a long time.

In contrast, foreign generic drugs have become the choice that many patients pay attention to. Currently, the more common ones on the market include Laos version and Bangladesh Yaopin International version, with prices ranging from a few hundred yuan to more than 2,000 yuan. Relevant generic drugs are basically the same as the original drugs in terms of main active ingredients and dosage design, and have obvious price advantages. However, when purchasing drugs, special attention needs to be paid to channel compliance, drug authenticity, and transportation and storage conditions. Generally speaking, domestic channels are more standardized but expensive and have limited accessibility. Overseas original drugs are of reliable quality but expensive. Generic drugs are cost-effective but need to be carefully screened. Patients should make rational choices under the guidance of doctors based on their own economic status and medication cycle.

Keyword tags: erdafitinib, drug purchase channels, domestic and foreign comparison, original drugs, generic drugs, urothelial cancer, genetic testing, economic burden.

Reference:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erdafitinib