Senator Urges Generic Tamiflu

EPIDEMICS

Washington (UPI) Oct 17, 2005
Roche Pharmaceuticals was asked Monday to suspend its patents on Tamiflu to allow governments to bolster anti-influenza medications and improve lagging preparedness against a possible worldwide epidemic of avian flu.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., sent a letter to Dr. Franz B. Humer, the Swiss company's chief executive officer, asking him to permit generic versions of Tamiflu to be manufactured in order to help fill stockpiles of the anti-viral medication.

"Countries all over the world have placed many more orders for Tamiflu than Roche can fill with its current manufacturing capacity," Schumer wrote. "In the interest of public health, I urge you to voluntarily suspend your patent so that other companies can assist you with filling these orders."

Tamiflu, also known as osteltamivir, can lessen flu symptoms and lower the chance of transmission if it is taken within the first 48 hours of illness. The drug is in high demand, because no effective avian-flu vaccine is yet available.

Roche has been under mounting pressure from the United Nations and health authorities not to let its patent interests interfere with global stockpiling of the drug.

The U.S. government has stockpiled just over 2 million Tamiflu treatment courses, only enough for less than 1 percent of the population. Federal authorities have ordered more than 12 million additional courses but are expecting to wait more than a year to receive the shipments.

Roche did not respond to repeated requests by United Press International for comment.

The company said last week generics manufacturers would need years to gear up their equivalents of Tamiflu and that it intended to maintain and enforce its patent on the drug.

Indian generic drug maker Cipla announced last week, however, it would begin manufacturing a Tamiflu copy for distribution to poor countries, despite Roche's statements.

The avian flu virus H5N1 has sickened more than 120 persons and killed at least 60 in Southeast Asia since 2004. Experts fear potential catastrophic fatalities if the virus gains the ability for human-to-human transmission because humans carry no natural immunity.

EPIDEMICS

Flu Virus Reported To Resist Drug Envisioned For Pandemic

Madison WI (SPX) Oct 17, 2005
An avian influenza virus isolated from an infected Vietnamese girl has been determined to be resistant to the drug oseltamivir, the compound better known by its trade name Tamiflu, and the drug officials hope will serve as the front line of defense for a feared influenza pandemic.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT Sodden Kashmiri Quake Survivors Beg For Tents New Orleans Replaces Fired Workers With Computers US-Central America Security Deal Fails Many More Doctors Needed To Help SAsia Quake Victims: UN	CLIMATE SCIENCE Warmer Seas, Wetter Air Make Harder Rains as Greenhouse Gases Build Link Between Tropical Warming And Greenhouse Gases Stronger Than Ever Prehistoric Global Warming May Have Contributed To Fossil Preservation The Tropics Play A More Active Role Than Was Thought In Controlling The Earth's Climate
EARTH OBSERVATION The Next Generation Blue Marble Interview With Volker Liebig On The Loss Of Cryosat Wetlands Satellite Mapping Scheme Yielding First Results DigitalGlobe Unveils Plans For WorldView I And WorldView II Imaging Systems	ENERGY TECH Oil Prices Jump On Fresh US Hurricane Threat China Could Become World Leader In Wind Power: Greenpeace NATO Means Business To Protect Pipelines Spaceward Foundation And NASA Announce Beam Power And Tether Competitions
EPIDEMICS Flu Virus Reported To Resist Drug Envisioned For Pandemic Health Wrap: Of Polio And Pandemics Senator Urges Generic Tamiflu WHO Official Says World Can Beat Bird Flu	FLORA AND FAUNA Half-Animal, Half-Plant Microbe Found Seaweed Yields New Compounds With Pharmaceutical Potential Malaysian Palm Oil Industry Denies Fuelling Orang-Utan Extinction NASA Discovers Life's Building Blocks Are Common In Space
FROTH AND BUBBLE Acid Rain And Forest Mass: Another Perspective Mystery Fumes Envelope Lagos Katrina Floodwaters Not As Toxic To Humans As Previously Thought, Study Says UCSD Leads Team To Build Geographic Information System To Assess Toxic Hazards From Katrina	ABOUT US Scientists Uncover Why Picture Perception Works The Roots Of Civilization Trace Back To ... Roots The Mechanics Of Foot Travel Compound May Prevent Neuron-Degeneration

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement