Local pharmacies grappling with orders

Dubai: With swine flu and Tamiflu so regularly spoken of in the same breath, those who work in pharmaceuticals sales must be envious of their counterparts working in Hoffman-La Roche. Indeed, no matter how dangerous a threat the illness is to people around the world and as governments have grappled for massive orders, there is no denying swine flu is a dream for the producers of its treatment of choice.

Rima Khadra, communications and public policy manager for the Swiss pharmaceuticals giant in the UAE, said: "We are fully able to fulfil orders by the government and private sector."

Media spokesperson at Roche's Swiss headquarters, Martina Rupp, when asked about UAE or GCC orders, said: "Roche has had several orders from governments. However, we are not able to disclose discussions with individual governments."

Despite only a handful of cases confirmed in the UAE, pharmacies have not been immune to the panic buying and unprecedented interest in the product, say a number of Dubai pharmacists.

Pharmacies and the government anticipated the boom in demand and a month ago local suppliers had around one million tablets of the influenza treatment in stock, said Kishore K., retail manager for the Life Healthcare Group.

"Immediately after the outbreak there was huge, huge, huge demand," he said. "Sales have been extremely high."

He said the panic buying of Tamiflu peaked in the first half of May, as many worried there stocks would run out should the number of infected cases in the UAE rise as they had in the United States.

"It was immediately when the situation was alarming in the United States," he explained.

Each box of Tamiflu contains 10 tablets and costs Dh180. During the peak in sales, some people were buying between five and 10 boxes. Since then, however, the stockpiling drive has cooled down.

"That's the main reason why the health authorities have really been insisting on prescriptions from a doctor," he added.

As with a number of medications in the UAE, although they are strictly-speaking prescription only, it is possible to buy them over the counter. Life said it had been selling Tamiflu over the counter but was encouraging people to consult their doctors.

Dr Moopen's Group of Pharmacies said despite a massive surge in inquiries and requests to buy the product, they were refusing to sell boxes of the treatment without a prescription.

"There were a lot of inquiries, in the first weeks of May," said Jobilal Vavachan, manager of pharmacies at the Group. "There was a lot of panic buying."

He said the government had specifically ordered the drug to be sold only with a prescription and his outlets were abiding by that.

"The Ministry of Health issued a circular that it should be only on prescription. If there are three members in a family then three boxes should be enough," said Vavachan, adding that this would also require three prescriptions.

The outbreak of swine flu, now being classified as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation, has brought with it massive press coverage of Tamiflu.

"Tamiflu is definitely the drug of choice," said Vavachan. "It is now a household name like Viagra."

Tamiflu was also used to fight bird flu in the 2003 outbreak of the disease, but Vavachan said the situation this time around has proved an even greater boost for the product.

"Actually this time the situation is altogether different," he said. "Now people are a lot more [panicky]."

The main reason for this, he feels, is the increased exposure to coverage by the press and information in airports - heightening awareness among the public who then go online and research treatment and prevention, thus providing Tamiflu with a marketing window.

When considering Tamiflu alternatives, the names are altogether less recognisable.

Vavachan pointed out that Relenza, produced by GlaxoSmithKline, was a cheaper alternative at Dh80 per box but that availability was limited as stocks were much lower than those of Tamiflu.

"Roche Global is rapidly scaling up production of Tamiflu to meet the needs of countries and we are well-prepared along the entire supply chain to continue to deliver in a crisis situation," said Khadra.

Until sales figures are released next month, those in the industry can only confidently speculate that leading the market in swine flu treatment will have proved massively profitable for the pharmaceutical company.

"I am sure definitely the stock [of Roche] has been boosted by the flu," said Kishore K.

Vavachan agrees with him. "I am sure they are reaching their sales target this year," he laughed.