The outpatient Rx market is shrinking in this winter

From last December, prescription size decreased by more than 5% compared to the previous year

In the aftermath of the prolonged COVID-19, a sharp drop in flu patients affected the prescription market

With the winter flu season, the outpatient prescription drug market is shrinking.

 

In January and February of this year, the prescription size decreased by 6% from last year.

 

The outpatient prescription drug market has been sluggish since the end of last year.

 

It is analyzed that the prescription drug market has also been affected by a sharp decline due to the prolonged COVID-19.

 

According to the drug research institute UBIST on the 17th, the cumulative outpatient prescription amount in January and February was ₩2,315 billion, a 6.3% decrease from the same period last year.

 

The prescription amount in January was down 7.0% from the previous year, followed by a 5.6% decline in February.

 

Monthly outpatient Rx amount trend (Unit: ₩100 million, Source: UBIST)

In last December, the amount of outpatient prescriptions dropped by more than 5% for three consecutive months after falling 6.0% from the previous year to ₩1,235 billion.

 

Last month's prescription amount was the lowest in two years since February 2019.

 

Compared to previous years, sales in the prescription market in January and February are unusual.

 

In last January and February, prescriptions amounted to ₩2.47 trillion, an increase of 3.4% from the same period last year, and the amount of prescriptions in January and February of 2019 increased by 6.3% from the previous year.

 

Despite COVID-19 variable last year, the prescription drug market generally made good progress, but it has been sluggish since winter.

 

Last year, the total outpatient prescription amount was ₩14,855.9 billion, an increase of 0.2% from the previous year.

 

Until November of last year, the cumulative prescription amount was ₩12,385 billion, an increase of 0.8% from the same period last year, but it has declined since December.

 

지난해 전체 원외 처방금액은 14조8559억원으로 전년보다 0.2% 증가했다.

 

지난해 11월까지 누적 처방금액은 12조3850억원으로 작년 같은 기간보다 0.8% 늘었지만 12월부터 하락세로 돌아섰다.

 

Monthly outpatient Rx amount increase/decrease from the previous year (Unit: %, Source: UBIST)

Since the spread of COVID-19, it is highly likely that the incidence of infectious diseases has greatly decreased due to reinforced personal hygiene management such as hand washing and wearing a mask, leading to a decrease in visits to medical institutions.

 

Since the end of last year, no flu pandemic warning has been issued this winter.

 

According to The KCDA, the number of suspected flu patients per 1,000 outpatients from week 1 to 8 this year is 2.4, 2.4, 2.6, 2.3, 1.9, 1,9, 1.9, 2.0, etc., half of the epidemic standard of 5.8.

 

Compared to 49.1, 47.8, 42.4, 40.9, 28.0, 16.4, 11.6, and 8.5 outpatients per 1,000 outpatients during the 1st to 10th week of last year., there have been few cases of flu recently.

 

Number of suspected flu patients per 1,000 outpatients (Unit: # of patient, Source: The KCDA)

It is also possible that visits to medical institutions have further decreased as the social distancing stage has been elevated due to the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed patients since the end of last year.

 

As more than 300 confirmed cases occurred from November 18 last year, the government raised the social distancing from November 24 to level 2 from the previous level 1.5.

 

From then on, only packaging and delivery were allowed from cafes regardless of business hours, and only packaging and delivery were allowed after 9 o'clock from restaurants.

 

As the number of COVID-19 confirmed rapidly increased, the government raised the social distance in the metropolitan area to level 2.5 from December 8 last year.

 

Accordingly, in the metropolitan area, operations such as singing rooms and indoor sports facilities in addition to the existing five types of entertainment facilities such as entertainment bars were additionally suspended.

 

Shops, marts, department stores, movie theaters, PC cafes, and other facilities that are closely related to daily life must also close after 9 p.m.

 

Despite social distancing campaign, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases surpassed 1,000 and the Seoul Metropolitan Government implemented a super-precipitation measure that banned ``private gatherings with more than 5 people'' from December 23 last year, and the same measures have been applied across the country afterwards.

 

In this month, social distancing in the metropolitan area was eased to level 2, but Strengthened distancing measures are being implemented, such as “private gatherings for more than 5 people” are still banned.