Tamiflu produced by VN will be provided for free

Director of Drug Administration Department Cao Minh Quang said that Vietnam produces Tamiflu for non-commercial purposes. Therefore, it will be allocated free to treatment facilities to treat people when there are epidemics, not to sell to the free market.

On November 7, the Ministry of Health will continue to negotiate with Roche on the conditions and procedures for manufacturing Tamiflu franchise in Vietnam. The ministry is also studying a plan to enforce this drug concession when an agreement is not reached.

Ms. Tran Thi Trung Chien, Minister of Health, affirmed that, at all costs, the Ministry must prepare enough Tamiflu for the people. In addition to " ordering " the World Health Organization to deliver drugs within 24 hours when Vietnam has epidemics, the Ministry will plan to produce. "The Tamiflu production in Vietnam is certain. If Roche does not agree to franchise, we will enforce franchising to produce for non-commercial purposes. The Department of Management must carefully study the legal process to enforce it. Technically, we are not worried because many factories have capsule production lines of international standards.

Cao Minh Quang, Director of the Drug Administration, said the Tamiflu production material is oseltamivirr phosphate, which acts to inhibit an enzyme of the influenza virus, preventing the creation of new viruses and slowing the infection process. This substance is protected by intellectual property until 2016. However, in the event of an emergency, some countries and territories such as South Korea, India and Taiwan have decided to produce themselves without permission. According to Prof. Le Ngoc Trong, Deputy Minister of Health, Vietnam should consider the plan to buy Tamiflu or materials from these countries and territories.

Explaining the lack of reserves of Tamiflu, but this drug is still heavily sold in the market at a high price, Cao Minh Quang said: Tamiflu had a circulation registration number in Vietnam since 2001, which works with general flu type. However, in the past, people did not pay much attention to this drug, only until the risk of pandemic flu was rushed to buy. The over-the-counter drugs on the market may be old shipments imported several years ago. But the medicine that the Ministry of Health prepared for avian flu was never marketed, including 100,000 members that Japan funded last year, used up and nearly 600,000 Taiwanese capsules supported last month, rising. allocation plan.

Mr. Quang said, before the situation of people and agencies, organizations owning Tamiflu reserves, the Ministry of Health will issue a written recommendation not to do so. The Department will also check to prevent abuse of the situation to sell the drug at " heavenly " prices.