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== Bird flu antidote monopoly ==
In a recent meeting of regional health ministers, Dr. Francisco Duque III, Secretary of the [[Philippines]] Department of Health, accused Roche of "monopolizing" the production and distribution of the drug known as Oseltavimir (brand name [[Tamiflu]]). Oseltavimir is considered to be the primary antiviral drug used to combat avian influenza, commonly known as the [[bird flu]]. Roche is the only drug company authorized to manufacture the drug.
The Philippine health secretary complained that the supply of the said drug is only concentrated in [[First World]] countries even if the disease is ravaging bird and poultry populations in Southeast Asia as of this time. Dr. Duque proposed that even if Roche is the only one who has the patent for the drug, special patents or licenses should be granted to other drug companies to manufacture the drug and make it more accessible to avian flu-vulnerable countries in [[Southeast Asia]] such as [[Vietnam]], [[Indonesia]], [[Cambodia]] and the [[Philippines]]. Duque and Philippine president [[Gloria Macapagal Arroyo]] has already communicated with the representative of the [[World Health Organization]] in the Philippines asking for assistance in calling for greater production and distribution of Oseltavimir.
World leaders, such as [[UN Secretary General]] [[Kofi Annan]], have expressed a desire to have more generic versions of Tamiflu made, especially for [[Third World]] countries too poor to buy the brand name drug.
On October 20, 2005 Hoffmann-La Roche decided they would license other companies to manufacture Oseltavimir.
== Additional key persons ==
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