« Back to Press Releases & Article Home

Can the poor afford Tamiflu?
As of late 2005 the scare of the Avian Influenza pandemic has made Roche, manufacturer of oseltamivir, better known as Tamiflu...

Date : Jun 19, 2006

As of late 2005 the scare of the Avian Influenza pandemic has made Roche, manufacturer of oseltamivir, better known as Tamiflu, join hands with other companies to increase production and some generic drug firms have begun producing their own versions. With the result that the drugs supply seems set to meet or even exceed demand by 2007 for the treatment of avian influenza.

In the last 6 months Roche has signed contracts with over 15 companies and each firm will help in carrying out a stage in Tamiflu's production. It has also given sublicenses to Shangai Pharmaceuticals and HEC in China and Hereto in India to make oseltamivir entirely.

These companies are to produce generic versions for local usage of the flu virus and will not be named Tamiflu and Roche's pandemic task force leader says that Roche will not be involved in controlling quality, volume of production or prices of these Flu Drugs.

Generic Drug makers in India like Ranbaxy and Cipla have started making oseltamivir without a contract with Roche and they intend to sell it in India and other places like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa where Tamiflu is not a patent. Cipla has managed to produce about half a million treatments a month and is all set to double its capacity according to its Joint Managing director, Amar Lulla. This will be marketed in the name of "Anti-flu". Ranbaxy is also hopeful to double its recent production to more than half a million treatments in a month. There are also generic drug makers in Taiwan, Bangladesh and Algeria who make oseltamivir.

But the vital questions that need to be answered are: Will this treatment be affordable to poor nations and what of its efficacy against the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus? Martin Sneering had to report the following on these questions.

While the generic versions till now cost as much as Tamilflu, competition will hopefully keep the prices down. The most promising news for developing countries is the researchers' work at Harvard University who have found a way to make the drug cheaper.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------