BMJ  2005;331:1041 (5 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7524.1041-b

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Roche Canada stops distributing oseltamivir

Quebec

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Canadian federal officials are trying to damp down concern about a possible flu pandemic, after reports of Canadians stockpiling the flu treatment oseltamivir (Tamiflu) prompted Roche Canada to cease distribution of the drug to pharmacies until the flu season begins.

David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief medical officer of health, said that although the government is stockpiling oseltamivir as a precautionary measure he personally had no intention of buying the drug for his home and that healthy Canadians have no need to lay in supplies. He said he expected that the government would also buy zanamivir (Relenza), another antiviral, and amantadine, an older drug that had not been shown to be effective against human cases of avian flu but that might be useful if the virus changed and becomes readily transmissible between humans.

Roche Canada recently sent an "urgent" letter to Canadian pharmacies saying it would "prioritise" distribution of oseltamivir when the . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Rouse, A (2005). Stockpiling oseltamivir: What is the number needed to treat with oseltamivir to prevent one flu death?. BMJ 331: 1203-1203 [Full text]  
• Smith, J. R, Dutkowski, R. (2005). Stockpiling oseltamivir: Roche clarifies data for improved mortality with oseltamivir. BMJ 331: 1203-1203 [Full text]  

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