WHO has enough Tamiflu to treat five million

Swiss drug company Roche Holding AG says the World Health Organisation (WHO) has enough of the anti-flu treatment Tamiflu stockpiled to treat up to five million people who come down with the new strain of swine flu that broke out in Mexico.

Roche spokeswoman Martina Rupp said the WHO-controlled stockpiles are in addition to millions more treatments held ready by 85 to 90 governments.

The spokeswoman said three-fifths of the WHO stockpiles are held at Roche facilities in the United States and Switzerland and the remaining amount is stored by WHO at different locations around the world.

She said the stockpiles held at Roche have been donated to WHO and they can be shipped as soon as WHO gives the word.

She said they are intended for countries that aren’t prepared.