Originally published January 8 2006
Roche will soon allow other drugmakers to begin Tamiflu production
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Roche Holding AG plans to announce licensing agreements that would allow 15 drugmakers to produce versions of Tamiflu, as the demand for the drug has skyrocketed worldwide.
Roche Holding AG said it is in advanced negotiations to license 15 other drugmakers to produce its Tamiflu influenza treatment, which may be effective against lethal bird flu.
Generic drug manufacturers Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Mylan Laboratories Inc. are among the potential partners, said Al Wasilewski, a Roche spokesman, in a telephone interview today.
Roche is under political pressure worldwide to increase production capacity by licensing the product as governments prepare for a potential global epidemic.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist today said a pandemic of avian influenza may cost the U.S. economy $675 billion.
An estimate by the Congressional Budget Office assumes that 90 million Americans would be infected by avian influenza and 2 million would die, Frist said in a statement before a speech at the National Press Club in Washington.
Government officials estimated last month that a flu pandemic might kill as many as 1.9 million Americans and hospitalize 9.9 million.
A survey released last week showed that two-thirds of U.S. employers wouldn't be ready for a pandemic, and U.S. health officials yesterday issued a checklist to help businesses prepare.
President George W. Bush has asked for $7.1 billion to prepare for a feared flu outbreak.
Just 3 percent said they have done ``a great deal'' to prepare for a worldwide outbreak of flu, such as buying their own Tamiflu, or paying more attention to hygiene, McInturff said today at a conference of the Center for Health Transformation in Washington.
Roche agreed in October to meet with four makers of generic drugs, after discussions with Schumer and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina.
``Instead of closely holding their patent rights and production techniques, in the face of a global health risk, they've moved swiftly to partner with multiple companies to dramatically increase production of this potentially life- saving drug.''
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