Researchers in Asia published a paper which criticizes western governments for not sharing access to drugs which can guard against the avian flu and said that the drug Zanamavir should be stockpiled in case of a possible pandemic. Writing in the Lancet, the group argues that experts have been overly conservative in ruling out the antiviral Zanamavir, which is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as Relenza. Until now, most experts have argued that Oseltamivir, sold by Roche as Tamiflu, is the only effective anti-influenza agent. Since the World Health Organization issued an advisory saying governments should stockpile Tamiflu, Roche has received $3 billion in orders for the drug, The Wall Street Journal reports.
- see this story from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)
- read the article at the Lancet website