Internet celebrity “myopia magic medicine” low-concentration atropine eye drops officially suspended online sales.
On July 22, He’s Ophthalmology said in response to investors’ questions that the company’s 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops have been suspended in Internet hospitals, but they are normally sold in Shenyang He’s Hospital. On the same day, in response to investors’ questions, OPCOM said that according to the notice just released, it is necessary to visit the hospital to get the medicine (low-concentration atropine) by prescription. The reporter found that Shandong Eye Hospital issued a notice on the Internet platform saying that the hospital’s Internet hospital does not issue low-concentration atropine sulfate eye drops in-hospital formulations and dispensing.
“Atropine eye drops can delay myopia for some children and adolescents with pseudo-myopia, but it needs to be used under the guidance of an ophthalmologist.” An ophthalmologist who did not want to be named told the Securities Daily “The reporter said that the product is currently a hospital preparation and cannot be circulated externally.
Online sales of low-concentration atropine eye drops suspended
In October 2021, the National Health Commission issued the “Guidelines for Appropriate Techniques for the Prevention and Control of Myopia in Children and Adolescents” (Updated Edition)” (referred to as the “Guide”) pointed out that when children and adolescents with myopia use low-concentration atropine or wear orthokeratology lenses (OK lenses) to slow down the progression of myopia, it is recommended to go to a regular medical institution, under the guidance of a doctor, follow the doctor’s advice. conduct.
It is understood that relevant medical institutions and listed companies have deployed “low-concentration atropine”. According to the National Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Publicity Platform, there are currently 8 clinical trials on “atropine sulfate eye drops” in progress, and most of its indications are “delaying the progression of myopia in children”.
It is worth mentioning that no low-concentration atropine eye drops have been approved for marketing in China. Previously, the drug was sold in the form of an in-hospital preparation, and patients could purchase it remotely through the Internet hospital platform of some medical institutions. medicine. However, there are strict regulations governing the sale of in-hospital preparations. “Whether the sale of in-hospital preparation products through online sales channels will cause excessive use” has caused heated discussions among all parties.
On June 10, the “Internet Diagnosis and Treatment Supervision Rules (Trial)” jointly issued by the National Health Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine pointed out: “Medical institutions carry out Internet diagnosis and treatment activities, and the prescriptions should be given by the physicians themselves. It is strictly forbidden to use artificial intelligence to automatically generate prescriptions; it is strictly forbidden to provide medicines to patients before the prescription is issued.”
“Low-concentration atropine eye drops are in-hospital preparations. The prepared preparations of the hospital shall not be sold in the market or sold in disguised form, and can only be purchased in the hospital according to the patient’s condition with a prescription issued by a licensed physician or a licensed assistant physician in the hospital. There is indeed a great controversy over the online consignment of in-hospital preparations.” Xie, senior investment consultant of Jufeng Investment Consultants Logistics told the “Securities Daily” reporter.
“Low-concentration atropine eye drops can only be officially approved for marketing after completing standardized clinical trial evaluations. At the same time, drug use for children and adolescents is a very serious issue. Singapore is approving low-concentration atropine eye drops as a When using medicine on campus, an observation period of about 5 years is set. From a domestic point of view, it will take several years for low-concentration atropine eye drops to pass clinical trials, and an observation period may also be set after the market is launched.” Senior Jufeng Investment Advisor Investment consultant Weng Zichi told reporters.
May affect the short-term performance of related listed companies
Compared with companies that have already been approved to sell in-hospital preparations and sell low-concentration atropine through Internet hospitals, OPCOM has As for the “late episode”.
On June 1, 2022, OPCOM announced that its holding subsidiary Hefei Kangshi Eye Hospital has obtained the “Medical Institution Preparation Registration Approval” issued by the Anhui Provincial Drug Administration. The completion of this registration enables Hefei Kangshi Eye Hospital, a holding subsidiary of the company, to start formulating and selling low-concentration atropine for the prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents to meet the clinical demand for this species.
It is worth mentioning that the Kangshi Eye Hospital of Anhui Medical University, a subsidiary of OPCOM, has obtained the qualification to practice as an Internet hospital. On May 16, Kangshi Eye Hospital of Anhui Medical University, a subsidiary of OPCOM, has completed all the practice registration procedures for Internet hospitals and obtained the qualifications for Internet hospital practice, allowing patients to make online appointment registration, online follow-up visits, and prescription payment without leaving home. . On June 7, OPCOM said in response to investors’ questions, “We will learn from the experience of our peers in sales.” When responding to investors’ questions, Shizhan said: “This is not to say that Internet hospitals cannot prescribe drugs, nor to atropine, as long as they meet the requirements of Internet online diagnosis and treatment.”
However, with the suspension of atropine eye drops Online sales are “solid hammer”, and the sales model of related listed companies will face challenges.
“The suspension of online sales means that the main sales channel of the listed company for the product has been cut off, and the sales volume of the product has been greatly reduced, which is self-evident to the performance. Expected. But with the advancement of clinical trials and the expansion of product sales channels, the sales performance of related products is expected to improve.” Weng Zichi told reporters.
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