Popular Hemorrhoid Drug 'Titan' Withdrawn from China Market Amid 40-Fold Price Surge Due to Global Raw Material Shortage

On October 15, the National Medical Products Administration announced that 80 drug approvals had been voluntarily canceled, including two forms of Compound Carraghenate (brand name: Titanoreine), namely cream and suppositories.This means that the "Internet-famous" hemorrhoid medicine has officially exited the Chinese market.

Tai Ning is an exclusive product of Xian Janssen, a topical over-the-counter medication. Its main ingredients include calcium carrageenate, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. It is used for symptomatic treatment of pain, itching, swelling, and bleeding caused by hemorrhoids and other anal diseases, and can also be used to relieve discomfort after local anal surgery.

Previously, the price of 6 Tai Ning suppositories was usually between 20 and 30 yuan.A search on e-commerce platforms reveals that the current price has exceeded 900 yuan, with some shops even surpassing 1,600 yuan, marking a price surge over 40 times higher.

Last year, a relevant person in charge of Xian Janssen stated in an interview: "Regarding the product Taioning Suppositories, our company ceased production starting from November 2023. Given that the main active ingredient in the compound carrageenate is naturally extracted and non-renewable, there is currently no raw material available globally to sustain production. Whether this medicine can be purchased now depends on whether there is any stock left on the market, which would be the drugs produced before the company stopped production."

Image and Information Sources: National Medical Products Administration, E-commerce Platforms, China Business Journal

Planner: ZJUN | Producer: islay