We are being told that Roche manufactures Tamiflu, but the San Fransisco Chronicle reports that the drug was actually developed by a company called Gilead that 10 years ago gave Roche the exclusive rights to market and sell Tamiflu. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/24/MNGHTDE8LG1.DTL
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was the chairman of Gilead in 1997 while Tamiflu was being developed. Since Rumsfeld reportedly continues to hold major portions of stock in Gilead, he will handsomely profit from the scare tactics that are being used to justify the purchase of billions of dollars of Tamiflu around the world. http://www.gilead.com/wt/sec/pr_933190157/
Hmmmm.
Note: http://www.foxnews.com/...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-b...
http://www.gilead.com/w...
Rumsfeld Benefits From Avian Flu Hype
Posted on Monday, October 24 at 15:21 by challContributed By
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Under the heading of "urgent," the firm sent a letter to Canadian pharmacies, stating that shipments of the drug oseltamivir phosphate will end immediately until flu season begins. "Roche Canada has decided to proactively manage the Tamiflu inventory," it wrote in the letter obtained by The Globe and Mail. "This flu season, the company will prioritize distribution of Tamiflu to those patients most at risk of developing serious influenza-related complications once the influenza season begins."
Lothar Dueck, president of the Coalition of Manitoba Pharmacies, called the move unprecedented, saying he has never seen a drug maker suspend sales of its own product in his 28 years as a pharmacist. "Enormous amounts of the capsules are being gobbled up and hoarded by panicking Canadians," Mr. Dueck said in a telephone interview from Ottawa last night, where he is attending a meeting of health ministers from around the world discussing pandemic preparations.
A spokesperson for Roche Canada says, "The drug company is doing what our government should be doing -- it's protecting the Canadian drug supply."
More like keeping a tight reign on the Canadian drug supply so the demand and price can be kept high.
An Associated Press report also out today says Paul Martin emphasized that a potential bird flu pandemic must be tackled globally and said he would urge health ministers from 30 countries and the heads of the World Health Organization currently meeting in Ottawa that no one country could stand alone against its potential spread. The report goes on to state that Canada has one of the most enviable national pandemic plans in place, with stockpiles of the "coveted antiviral drug Tamiflu" and an action plan among provincial and federal health officials.
Remember, Tamiflu is NOT effective AT ALL against H5N1.