Fergie's Tech Blog

Roche warns on fake Tamiflu sales on the Internet

Via Red Herring.

Roche warned consumers on Friday to avoid purchasing Tamiflu over the Internet out of concern that counterfeit versions of the drug may be available.

The pharmaceutical giant, based in Basel, Switzerland, said it is looking into Internet sales of the prescription-only pill and cannot vouch for its authenticity.

In many ways it seems only a matter of time before counterfeit versions of Tamiflu hit the market, if they have not already. Tamiflu, along with GlaxoSmithKline’s Relenza, is thought to provide the best treatment of flu symptoms currently available in the event of a bird flu pandemic.

Governments around the world have recently stockpiled enough of the drug to provide treatment for up to a quarter of their respective populations, following advice from the World Health Organization (WHO).

posted by Fergie @ 10/07/2005 09:13:00 AM