Drug giant grants Vietnam right to produce Tamiflu

Bird flu-hit Vietnam has reached an agreement with the Swiss manufacturer of the antiviral drug Tamiflu to allow the country to produce the medication starting early next year, a Health Ministry official said today.

“In talks with Roche representatives yesterday, we have reached an agreement in principle … to allow Vietnam to produce Tamiflu,” said Nguyen Van Thanh, deputy director of the pharmaceutical administration department under the Ministry of Health.