Counterfeit Tamiflu seized in US
US customs agents have seized more than 50 shipments of counterfeit Tamiflu, the antiviral drug widely touted as the most effective method of countering an avian influenza pandemic.
US customs agents have seized more than 50 shipments of counterfeit Tamiflu, the antiviral drug widely touted as the most effective method of countering an avian influenza pandemic.
The seizures, the first of their kind in the US, began on 26 November when a package was intercepted at an airmail facility near San Francisco International Airport. 51 packages, each containing as many as 50 counterfeit capsules labelled as generic Tamiflu, have since been seized.
Information on the packages was written in Chinese, but their origin is currently unknown. Initial tests on the capsules indicated some vitamin C content, acoording to David Elder, director of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Enforcement.
According to Roxanne Hercules, a spokeswoman for US Customs and Border Protection, the packages were sent by Asian suppliers to customers who placed orders over the Internet. None of the shipments are believed to have been intended for doctors or hospitals.
The manufacturer of Tamiflu, Roche, has come under pressure to outsource manufacture of the drug amid fears that booming demand from public health authorities and private consumers could go unmet. However, one week ago (12 December) it announced that it had identified 12 additional partners for production and granted its first sub-licence for Tamiflu in China to the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group.