Roche cuts wholesalers from Tamiflu supply chain
Roche has indicated that it might sublicense Tamiflu to some companies |
Roche is bypassing wholesalers and dealing direct with pharmacists in an attempt to keep a tight rein over supplies of the influenza anti-viral Tamiflu.
The company is advising pharmacists to use the normal customer enquiry
line if they have any queries over supplies.
Roche has also revealed that it has created a Tamiflu waiting list that
will come into effect once it has fulfilled its two priorities for stock
supply. Its priorities are to meet the Department of Health’s request
for a 14.6 million pack stock pile in the event of a flu pandemic and
to have enough supplies available this winter to meet the demands of
the seasonal flu outbreak.
The company explained once those two commitments had been fulfilled it
would turn to those on the waiting list, which already include requests
for Tamiflu from private companies, who will be dealt with on a first
come, first served basis.
A spokeswoman for Roche Products said this week: “We have put aside
a considerable amount of stock for seasonal flu this year — more
than we did last year because there is a heightened interest in this
area. Once seasonal flu is picked up in the UK this year we will prioritise
stocks to those regions where there are outbreaks.”
She refused to say how much stock was being put aside to meet this year’s
seasonal flu, but admitted that Roche expected there to be a greater
demand for Tamiflu this year than in previous winters because of fears
about bird flu. This trend was already reflected in the increased up-take
this winter in routine flu vaccinations, she said.
The spokeswoman added that the decision not to supply stocks of Tamiflu
to wholesalers was being monitored on a week-by-week basis, and commented: “We
are supplying pharmacists on a one-to-one basis and are monitoring all
requests for orders and the rationale for those requests, rather than
dealing in volume supplies with wholesalers. This is in line with our
desire to meet our stock supply priorities and to ensure that supplies
are appropriate for patients and pharmacists.”
Although patients may request private prescriptions for obtaining Tamiflu,
guidance from the Department of Health and the World Health Organization
suggests that the public should not be stock piling their own private
Tamiflu supplies in case of a bird flu pandemic, she said.
She added: “We appreciate that this may be an issue for pharmacists
and the chief medical officer has spoken in his guidance about this and
the role all health professionals should be taking.”
The company is still in negotiation over Tamiflu licensing agreements
with the generic arm of the industry. About 100 companies “had
been in contact about potentially bringing more product to market” but
no agreements had yet been reached, the spokeswoman confirmed.
She added that Roche would only sub-license Tamiflu to companies that
are capable of producing substantial
amounts for emergency pandemic use in accordance with
appropriate quality specifications, safety and regulatory guidelines. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader