NYT: Hoarding Prompts Halt in Flu Drug (Tamiflu) Shipping (to U.S.)

[DeepModem Mom]

Hoarding Prompts Halt in Flu Drug Shipping
By ANDREW POLLACK
Published: October 27, 2005


Roche has temporarily halted shipments of the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu in the United States, saying it wants to prevent hoarding and ensure adequate supplies to treat conventional flu cases this winter.

Roche said companies had been creating their own stockpiles for use by their employees in the event of a pandemic caused by avian flu. That activity threatened to deplete supplies needed for the regular flu.

"At the present time, we do not have an avian influenza pandemic in the United States," George Abercrombie, president of the company's American subsidiary, said in a statement yesterday. "However, we need to make sure that people exposed to this year's seasonal flu virus will have access to Tamiflu."

Roche, which is based in Switzerland, said it would resume shipments of the drug when more flu cases occurred this winter.

The halt in shipments affects those to wholesalers and pharmacies but not those to the federal government for its stockpile....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/27/health/27flu.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. nothing like people going apesh*t over a drug that MIGHT work, maybe.

it's pretty bizarre.

[MADem]

2. Remember the CIPRO hoarders?

Ohhh, oooooh!!! ANTHRAX!! Don't touch the mail, we are all gonna die!!!!

And then, around the time of duct tape and plastic sheeting, there were the one-uppers who just HAD to have a gas mask...it made Y2K look quaint by comparison.

Terra terra terra, fear fear fear--I am too damned tired to get excited anymore. Que sera, sera, I reckon...

[Carolab]

3. It's another outbreak

of me-first-itis

[psychopomp]

4. Something tells me this new Japanese product will become popular:

Shiseido unit to launch new mask to cut flu virus

Thursday, October 27, 2005 at 07:22 JST
TOKYO — A subsidiary of cosmetics maker Shiseido Co said Wednesday it will launch in Japan in mid-November a mask that takes advantage of an antibody filter to cut off any strain of influenza virus.

The disposable Nanoblock Virus Cut Mask has an antibody filter to trap flu viruses and utilize the antibody's binding reaction to contain them, FT Shiseido Co said.
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=353322
http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstPhotos/getimage.php?photoid=9066
Oct. 26 TOKYO, Japan
A model wears the disposable Nanoblock Virus Cut Mask developed by FT Shiseido Co., a subsidiary of cosmetics maker Shiseido Co. The mask has an antibody filter to trap flu viruses and utilize the antibody's binding reaction to contain them.