Roche collaborating with WHO to distribute Tamiflu

BASEL, Switzerland Following the announcement from the World Health Organization that the pandemic alert has been moved to phase 5, Roche confirmed Wednesday evening that it has been in contact with the World Health Organization regarding its Tamiflu product capabilities.

Roche donated 5 million treatment courses of Tamiflu to WHO in 2006, consisting of a 2-million treatment course “Regional” stockpile and a 3-million treatment course “Rapid Response” stockpile. The regional stockpiles are held by the WHO at various locations around the world.

“Roche’s 3 million treatment courses donated to the WHO in 2006 are ready on 24-hour standby to be deployed to areas of need as determined by the WHO,” stated David Reddy, Roche’s global pandemic preparedness leader. “We will be working through the night to do all we can to respond in a rapid, timely and responsible manner for patients in need.”

To date, Roche has fulfilled government pandemic orders amounting to 220 million treatment courses of Tamiflu.