The government is pulling all stops to ensure that the country is adequately prepared for a likely influenza outbreak.The government has asked GlaxoSmithKline and Roche to build up the stock of Oseltamivir,the bird flu drug.Sources said that senior government officials in the health ministry recently met with the heads of the Indian arms of MNCs Roche and GSK.S Kalayanasundaram ,M.D ,GSK India said "The government had asked the company to create its own stock pile of Relenza in India.The company has communicated this to its parent company in UK and is in the process of acting on the governments request."
Roches flu- drug -Tamiflu(generic name-oseltamivir) and GlaxoSmithKlines product-Relenza(generic name:zanamavir) are currently not marketed in the country.G Telang ,MD of Roche Scientific,could not be reached for the comment but a company official that Roche was in the process of bringing the drug to the Indian market.Meanwhile, the WHO has dispatched a batch of Tamiflu to India to deal with any potential outbreak. This is part of the 1m doses that the country is planning to stockpile to meet emergency situation.
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| Posted : 12/13/2005 |
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