Cipla urges Govt to allow retail sale of anti-flu drugs
Mumbai, Aug 26 “We are adults and should be treated as adults,” says Cipla Chairman and Managing Director, Dr Y. K. Hamied, responding to queries on the Centre’s decision to not allow retail sales of anti-flu drugs Oseltamivir and Zanamivir, fearing resistance would develop against the medicines.
“I sincerely believe that to stop the panic, people need to have access to the medicine,” he told shareholders, against the backdrop of the World Health Organisation’s caution that swine flu is poised for a second wave.
Cipla makes and sells both drugs under the brand names Antiflu and Virenza, and even exports them. The export sales from Antiflu are at about Rs 40 crore, he said. However, Cipla’s sales in India are “zero”, he said, as neither is the company able to sell in retail shops, nor has the Government sourced these drugs from the company. The Centre’s tender process sources from companies offering the lowest price.
Half of U.S. may get infected with H1N1: Experts
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Monday estimated that the H1N1 influenza has the capacity to infect half of the U.S. population, hospitalize more than 1.8 million people and cause 90,000 deaths. Mounting swine flu cases raise concern
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There has been a sudden spurt in the number of swine flu cases in the State causing serious concern among the health authorities.The total number of positive cases has gone up to 146 till Tuesday and in the past few days an average of between 14 to 15 positive cases are being reported every day in the State. Since there was no panic in society, the Health Department had no major cause of worry all these days. However, with more number of cases being reported particularly in Thiruvananthapuram, a creeping sense of panic has emerged at least among the Health authorities.Pork ‘flu’ out of star hotels’ menu
CHENNAI: Pork dishes have gone off of the menu in the restaurants of many top hotels in the city following the swine flu scare. “We stopped serving pork the moment we heard about the first swine flu death in the city,” says chef Bhatt of Residency Towers.
Actually, many hotels took pork out of the menu because the demand for dishes like pork chops, sausages and fried bacon, mostly served for breakfast, dipped. “I regularly used to have pork, but after swine flu deaths were reported in the city, I thought it prudent to stay away from it,” says Sonia Markose, a working woman.
