The World Health Organisation (WHO) is in talks with Swiss firm Roche about boosting output of anti-influenza drug Tamiflu, seen as a first line of defence against bird flu, a top official said on Monday, according to Reuters. The Swiss firm has already announced plans to double production this year, and again in 2006, as governments follow WHO advice and place bulk orders for stockpiles. But Mike Ryan, WHO director for epidemic and pandemic alert, said supplies were clearly insufficient to face up to a potential bird flu pandemic if the steadily spreading avian virus jumps to humans. "We are looking with that manufacturer at all kinds of issues about how production can be scaled up, licensing arrangements and other issues," he told journalists in a teleconference. "We believe that there is a public health need to look at this issue ... We will be looking even more intensely at that in coming days," he added, without giving details. Roche spokesmen could not immediately be contacted. But the pharmaceuticals firm has said it is doing its utmost to increase output of the drug, for which demand is expected to soar in Europe following confirmation of bird flu amongst fowl in Romania and Turkey. Tamiflu is the most effective anti-viral drug currently available for avian flu, and governments are rushing to buy stocks amid fears a virus that has already claimed more than 60 lives in Asia could mutate and become even deadlier. The Swiss firm says it has outsourced some of the phases in the production process, which can take two years. But it refuses to relinquish its patent rights over the drug to make it cheaper for others to manufacture. Nevertheless, Indian drugmaker Cipla has said it plans to make a generic version of the medicine for sale in developing countries.
