Critics: WHO slow on generics for swine flu - AOL Money & Finance

Critics: WHO slow on generics for swine flu - AOL Money & Finance:
"LONDON -As poor countries face a possible swine flu pandemic with only enough Tamiflu to treat a tiny fraction of their populations,
some experts are calling for a simple but contentious solution: massive production of generics.

Antivirals such as Tamiflu are believed to be effective against swine flu if administered early, and cheap generics can easily be made in countries like India. Many rich nations sit on stockpiles of expensive Tamiflu bought from Swiss drugmaker, Roche.

Tamiflu is patent protected in most countries, but World Trade Organization rules allow countries to override such rights in a health crisis. Indian pharmaceuticals giant Cipla said it would charge about $12 per course of a generic Tamiflu. One course of Roche Tamiflu, two tablets a day for five days, can sell for up to $100.

That has led critics to question why the World Health Organization hasn't ordered up batches of generic Tamiflu or encouraged poor countries to do so as it raised its pandemic alert level to phase 5 — signaling it believes a global flu outbreak to be 'imminent.'

Some suspect WHO is reluctant to anger drug companies, which supply the agency with free stockpiles of drugs, by encouraging the use of generics. Despite WTO rules, Western pharmaceuticals have long fought to keep generics out of the market in all circumstances."