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news.Roche has stepped up Tamiflu distribution in US cities where high incidence of influenza is being reported, and the company says that it will be able to continue to meet seasonal demand for the prescription antiviral medication.
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States that have seen a particularly high increase in flu incidence recently include California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Nevada and Kansas.
Under the company’s plan, Tamiflu will continue to be shipped where it is needed, based on increased incidence of influenza activity as tracked by a comprehensive, nationwide network developed to provide health care professionals and consumers with the most up-to-date information on the spread of seasonal flu.
After a huge spike in Tamiflu demand last fall driven by fears of a potential avian flu pandemic, Roche temporarily halted some product shipments prior to the 2005/2006 flu season in order to maintain the ability to distribute Tamiflu to US markets with confirmed influenza cases, while preserving a pipeline to ensure continued availability.
“When demand for Tamiflu rose last year, Roche took appropriate precautions to ensure adequate supplies would be available for the treatment and prevention of seasonal influenza,” said George Abercrombie, president and CEO, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. “Because of those precautionary measures, Tamiflu is readily and widely available to patients who need it for flu treatment and prevention, while we continue to work with governments to supply stockpiles for pandemic preparedness.”