Director of the Drug Administration, Cao Minh Quang, announced that Vietnam is producing Tamiflu for non-commercial purposes. Therefore, it will be distributed free of charge to treatment facilities for use during epidemics rather than being sold on the open market.
On November 7, the Ministry of Health will continue negotiations with Roche regarding the conditions and procedures for licensing Tamiflu production in Vietnam. The Ministry is also exploring options for compulsory licensing of this drug if an agreement cannot be reached.
Minister of Health, Trần Thị Trung Chiến, emphasized that the Ministry must ensure an adequate supply of Tamiflu for the public at all costs. In addition to placing an “order” with the World Health Organization to expedite the drug’s delivery within 24 hours during an outbreak, the Ministry will develop a production plan. “Producing Tamiflu in Vietnam is certain. If Roche does not agree to license, we will enforce licensing for production for non-commercial purposes. The Drug Administration must thoroughly research the legal aspects to implement this. Technically, we are not concerned as many factories have production lines that meet international standards. The only issue is the source of raw materials.”
Mr. Cao Minh Quang stated that the raw material for producing Tamiflu is oseltamivir phosphate, which inhibits an enzyme of the influenza virus, preventing the formation of new viruses and slowing the infection process. This substance is protected by intellectual property rights until 2016. However, in light of the emergency situation, several countries and territories, such as South Korea, India, and Taiwan, have decided to produce it independently without permission. According to Professor Lê Ngọc Trọng, Deputy Minister of Health, Vietnam should consider purchasing Tamiflu or its raw materials from these countries and territories.
In explaining the shortage of Tamiflu reserves while the drug is still being sold at high prices on the market, Mr. Cao Minh Quang noted that Tamiflu has been registered for circulation in Vietnam since 2001 and is effective against various types of influenza. However, previously, the public paid little attention to this medication, only rushing to purchase it when the threat of a flu pandemic was repeatedly warned. The drugs available on the market may be old stock imported from several years ago. Meanwhile, the medication prepared by the Ministry of Health for avian influenza has not been sold on the market, which includes 100,000 tablets donated by Japan last year that have been used up, and nearly 600,000 tablets recently supported by Taiwan, which are being planned for distribution.
Mr. Quang mentioned that due to the situation where individuals and organizations are independently purchasing and stockpiling Tamiflu, the Ministry of Health will issue a recommendation against such actions. The Administration will also conduct inspections to prevent exploitation of the circumstances to sell this drug at exorbitant prices.
