Taiwan may make drug for emergency
NST, 27 Nov 2005

TAIPEI, Sat. --- A Taiwan government panel has decided the island can produce the anti-bird flu drug Tamiflu without permission from the Swiss drug maker Roche AG if supplies of the medicine run out.

The Intellectual Property Office said in a statement late on Friday production of the drug under a “compulsory license” would be permitted, despite acknowledging that Roche has said it could deliver enough of the drug to cover a government-set target of 10 per cent of the population.

“In times when the Tamiflu purchased by the Department of Health from Roche are not enough… to prevent an epidemic, the compulsory measure to manufacture the drug should be used”, the office said in a statement on its Web site.

Under compulsory licensing, countries are allowed produce patent-protected drugs to address health emergencies.

The decision was taken after a seven-member    panel      met       with

representatives from Roche and the Department of Health for a second time.

Roche expressed surprise at the announcement, saying a global increase in production since 2004 meant there would be enough of the drug to safeguard Taiwan’s people in the event of a pandemic, according to a statement on its website www.roche.com. “Fallback on compulsory license will be unnecessary as agreed delivery timelines will be met by Roche”, the company said. --- Reuters.