In the face of continued refusals by Roche to authorize Taiwan to manufacture generic versions of Tamiflu, Depart-ment of Health Minister Hou Sheng-mou (侯勝茂) revealed that researchers in Taiwan have been in the process of making the drug for the last few months, and have now achieved samples that are 99.9 percent similar to Tamiflu.
"It is produced in the laboratory so there's no conflict with the patent law," Hou said, adding that he wanted Roche to know that Taiwan is able to make the drug.
Ho said that out of respect for intellectual property rights, he has written to Roche, informing them of the situation, in the hope that they will reconsider their earlier decisions.
"The right to life is more important than intellectual property rights," Hou said at a press conference at the department yesterday.
Although Taiwan has yet to manufacture the drug in large amounts, Hou said that the authorities will start to do so in a time of crisis.
"We are already halfway there," Ho said, adding that the department has started to stockpile raw materials needed to make the drug.
According to National Health Research Institute director Su Yi-jen (
"This is when the bird flu mutates and starts to spread from person to person," Su said.
According to Su, in 2003 the government bought enough medication for 230,000 people to treat SARS and control a flu epidemic.
Of these, 160,000 units have not been used which, together with the 780,000 units that the government has ordered from Roche, will provide medication for 4 percent of Taiwan's population. This is a far cry from the WHO recommendation of having enough medication to treat 10 percent of the population.
Speaking on defense strategies against the bird flu, Deputy Director General of the Center for Disease Control Shih Wen-yi (施文儀) said that there are four lines of defense which include keeping the nation bird-flu free; stopping it from spreading if and when it does appear and strengthening medical teams at hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has tightened border controls aimed at barring the entrance of smuggled poultry and meat to try to prevent the spread of avian flu locally, CGA officials reported yesterday.
The CGA is also preparing to activate an anti-bird flu contingency plan based on a "four-cordons" defense strategy -- mapped out by the Council of Agriculture -- to keep the much-feared H5N1 strain of the virus and any possible mutations from entering the country. The strategy entails stopping it offshore, at customs, in local communities and within the local health-care system.
The "four-cordons" defense strategy is a set of preventative measures similar to those adopted in the country two years ago during the SARS outbreak throughout Asia, the officials said.
Joint the campaign against bird flu
10 bird-flu don’ts:
1. Do not get close to, touch or feed any migratory or other birds.
2. Do not visit any bird farm or exhibition in areas affected by bird flu. Do not smuggle any birds to Taiwan.
3. Do not raise different types of birds together or mix them with other livestock, such as pigs.
4. Do not free poultry into the wild.
5. Do not purchase any poultry products whose sources are unidentified.
6. Do not touch, sell, purchase or eat any sick bird.
7. Do not abandon any sick or dead bird.
8. Do not kill any bird by yourself.
9. Do no eat any raw poultry products, including raw eggs and other related products.
10. Do not visit crowded public places with poor air circulation, to reduce the chance of getting the bird flu.
5 do’s to prevent catching bird flu:
1. Wash your hands more frequently: Wash both hands with soap after touching poultry meat or excrement.
2. Inject vaccine: Those who need to be in contact with birds for long periods of time, such as butchers and veterinarians, have to inject vaccine beforehand.
3. Eat cooked food only: The bird-flu virus is afraid of heat. It can be killed when heated to 56 degrees Celsius for three hours, 60 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes and 100 degrees Celsius for one minute. Both chickens and eggs should be cooked.
4. Follow a balanced diet, get sufficient exercise, get enough sleep and rest, and minimize stress.
5. Take care of yourself. If you have a fever, you should wear a mask and see a doctor immediately.
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