Swine Flu: A Great Business Opportunity for Pharmaceutical Companies

Recently, Swine Flu Cases have been recorded in India. Major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad have reported many Swine Flu Cases. People are very much worry about the Swine Flu right now.

What is Swine Flu?

According to Wikipedia,

Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.

During the mid-20th century, identification of influenza subtypes became possible, allowing accurate diagnosis of transmission to humans. Since then, only 50 such transmissions have been confirmed. These strains of swine flu rarely pass from human to human. Symptoms of zoonotic swine flu in humans are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.

How Swine Flu is a Great Business Opportunity for Pharmaceutical Companies?

Basically 2 Molecules are effective against Swine Flu.

01) Oseltamivir (Brand Name – TamiFlu)

02) Zanamivir (Brand Name – Relenza)

Tamiflu is the Brand owned by Roche Pharmaceuticals Lts in New Jersey, USA. The Selling of Tamiflu is growing exponential right now. The Selling of this Drug has risen Exponentially in India. Tamiflu & Relenza both are the anti-viral drugs of choice for Treatment & Prevention of Swine Flu.

According to the Wikinews, Cipla Pharma Company of India has taken License from Roche Pharmaceuticals to sell Tamiflu in Indian Market in year 2006. The 10 tablet strip costs Rs.1000 and dosage is 2 tablets a day for 5 days.

But after that on May 2009, Government of India has banned the retail sale of the drug Tamiflu in India. The retail sale of Oseltamivir phosphate or Tamiflu has been prohibited in the Indian market. The notice came after it was reported that Tamiflu was being sold at exorbitant prices in the retail market.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also declared that no cases of A/H1N1 influenza in the country have been reported. The throat swab sample tests of 20 patients were proved negative.

And Suddenly after the above report, The Swine Flu entered into India…. I Don’t know how? Is it just an incidence or something else?….

But Right now Government of India needs Tamiflu in millions of quantity. So Cipla & Roche Pharma both are in profit.

Just few months before, government of India has banned this drug by reporting that there is no use of this drug in India and it is being sold at over price. And all the throat swabs came negative. But within few months of this report, Swine Flu is epidemic in India.

So What all this Suggests?

I Really Don’t know…………!!!!!!!!!!

Because a LOGICAL MIND Can’t understand all this….!!!!

Useful Resources -

01) Latest News & Updates on Swine Flue Worldwide

02) Tamiflu.com

03) Wikipedia: All about Swine Flue (Basics)

04) Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd - Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Roche), based in Nutley, N.J.,
is the U.S. prescription drug unit of the Roche Group, one of the world’s leading research-oriented health care groups with core businesses in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. The company provides innovative products and services that address prevention,diagnosis and treatment of diseases, thus  enhancing people's health and quality of life. THIS IS THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY WHICH IS THE OWNER OF THE BRAND “TamiFlu”.

05) Wiki News: Generic Tamiflu in India

06) Merinews: Bann on Retail Sale of Tamiflu in India

07) Flu-email updates: Subscribe here and get all the updates about Swine Flu in your email at free of cost.