Pink eye medicine 'sold out', people struggle to find and buy

In recent days, due to the widespread spread of pink eye, people in Da Nang City have struggled to find medicine to treat it. Due to the sudden increase in purchases, drugstores in Son Tra District and Hai Chau District (Da Nang City) are all "out of stock".

On September 13, according to Thanh Nien reporters, drug stores on Ong Ich Khiem Street were out of medicine to treat pink eye. The two medicines Tobrex and Tobradex (to treat pink eye) were the most sought after by people.

People rushed to buy, causing medicine to cure pink eye to "sell out"

Long Chau pharmacy staff said that since September 5, the number of people looking to buy Tobrex and Tobradex has increased. Every day, the pharmacy sells about 20-30 bottles, most of whom are looking to buy the medicine to prevent and treat pink eye for their children. Long Chau pharmacy chain has been out of stock for 3 days.

Is there a phenomenon of drug price gouging?

According to records, the price of pink eye medicine has increased by a few thousand dong compared to before. Specifically, Tobrex medicine costs 45,500 dong/bottle, an increase of 2,500 dong, and Tobradex medicine costs 53,000 dong/bottle, an increase of 3,000 dong compared to the original price.

According to pharmacy staff, here are some drugs with similar ingredients to Tobradex that can treat pink eye.

"The two drugs Tobrex and Tobradex have been out of stock for days. Now, the pharmacy only has drugs with similar ingredients. Currently, drug suppliers have raised the price to about 80,000 VND/bottle, we do not dare to import them because we are afraid that customers will complain...", shared an employee of Hoan My pharmacy (Nai Hien Dong Ward, Son Tra District).

Combo of medicine to treat pink eye for adults is advised by pharmacy staff to customers

In addition to advising people on medicines to prevent and treat pink eye in children, the staff also advises on medicines for adults. In particular, when adults have pink eye, they will use 3 types of eye drops including antibiotics, eye moisturizers and eye washes, which cost about 180,000 VND.

Yesterday, September 12, the Department of Health of Da Nang City issued a document directing medical examination and treatment facilities in the area to fully prepare to avoid drug shortages, not increase drug prices, and strengthen hospital infection control in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Health .

How to prevent pink eye?

In contact with Thanh Nien reporters, pharmacy staff said they also advised people to be careful when buying medicine to treat pink eye, only using medicine with enough antibiotic content to avoid affecting children's eyes later.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang, Da Nang Eye Hospital, warned that pink eye progresses very quickly and has a high risk of complications, so patients should go to medical facilities for examination and treatment, and avoid buying medicine to treat themselves at home...

Currently, pink eye disease is becoming more complicated with the number of cases increasing dramatically, with the risk of an epidemic, especially in the context of students returning to school.

According to the Da Nang Center for Disease Control, pink eye is an eye infection, usually caused by bacteria or viruses or an allergic reaction, with the characteristic symptom being red eyes.

The disease usually starts suddenly, first in one eye and then spreads to the other eye. Pink eye is very contagious in the community and causes epidemics. To date, there is no vaccine to prevent the disease, no specific treatment, and people who have had pink eye can still be infected again just a few months after recovering.

Pink eye disease has the risk of complications if not treated completely, so doctors recommend that patients should go to medical facilities for treatment.

To proactively prevent and combat pink eye, the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) recommends that people take good measures: regularly wash hands with soap, use clean water; do not rub eyes, nose, mouth; do not share personal items such as eye drops, towels, glasses, masks; clean eyes, nose, throat daily with saline, regular eye drops, nose drops. At the same time, use soap or common disinfectants to disinfect the patient's belongings and items; limit contact with people who are sick or suspected of having pink eye.

The Department of Preventive Medicine also recommends that patients and people suspected of having pink eye should limit contact with others; should take time off from school and work to avoid infecting people around them and spreading to the community; go to medical facilities for examination, consultation, and timely treatment; and not self-treat without instructions from medical staff to avoid serious complications.

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