Roche Holding AG, the Swiss company that produces the most effective antiviral drug available for avian flu, is outsourcing some stages of its production but will not surrender patents on it.
The Swiss firm is under pressure to increase production of the antiviral treatment Tamiflu amid fears of a shortage in the event of a bird flu pandemic.
Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, said last week he did not want to see intellectual property obstructing the supply of flu drugs to the poor, although he stopped short of calling on Roche to surrender its patents.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
