Recently days, the paracetamol tablets price reaches the highest in the past 3 years. Other paracetamol related finished formulation price increases a bit also.
It is learned that the shortage of key intermediate caused the advance in price this time. Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a NASIDs medicine mainly used for treatment of pain and fever.China produces almost 60% of paracetamol in the world. And P-nitrochlorobenzene (CAS NO: 100-00-5) is the key intermediate of paracetamol.
The main manufacturer of P-nitrochlorobenzene is Anhui Bayi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd, a China located factory that have nearly 40% market share for this product. Due to the environment laws in Anhui province, Bayi Chemical was asked to move to a new production site before the end of 2020. However, the new site have not started at the end of 2020. Bayi Chemical applied for extension for manufacturing in previous site, but was rejected by authority. The shutdown resulted in a 40% drop in P-nitrochlorobenzene supply, and brought shortage of paracetamol raw material.
Since 2021, the paracetamol raw material increases more than 50%, which brings big increase to the price of paracetamol tablet, paracetamol injection too. Because of raw material, our present cost is 0.2 USD higher per box (box of 100 tablets, 500mg)than two month before, a production manager from China paracetamol tablet factory told us. Price of other finished medicine formulation such as paracetamol injection and paracetamol infusion is higher than before also.
It is told by the insiders that Bayi Chemical will get approval of production at new site by second half of 2021. By then, price might drop to a normal level. That means the high price of paracetamol related formulation will remain a high level for at least 3 – 4 months.
