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First 200,000 tablets of Thai anti-bird flu drug produced
First 200,000 tablets of Thai anti-bird flu drug produced
BANGKOK, Feb 9 - The first 200,000 tablets of the Thai-made generic version of the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir, better known as Tamiflu, has successfully been manufactured by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) and will be available to the public in July.
Following completion of laboratory testing, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thursday, the Thai-made anti-avian flu drug will be available for sale to the public.
Mr. Anutin said the Thai Oseltamivir, called GPO "A" Flu, is now undergoing laboratory testing, including efficiency in dissolving before the Department of Medical Sciences will conduct a bio-equivalence study.
After laboratory testing is complete, the drug will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for registration.
Expected to be available for sale in July, the first Thai anti-bird flu Tamiflu will be sold at 70 baht per tablet, cheaper by 50 baht per unit, compared to the 120 baht per capsule of imported Oseltamivir, Mr. Anutin said.
However, he said, the drug will not be available at general drugstores but can only be bought through medical units under Public Health Ministry supervision to ensure consumer safety.
According to the minister, the GPO is capable of producing about one million tablets of the anti-bird flu drug, sufficient for treating up to 100,000 patients, within 15 days.
Mr. Anutin said that he advised the government's medicinal production agency to build a new pharmaceuticals factory at Pathum Thani province's Thanyaburi district.
The GPO at present needs to increase its capability and efficiency in producing drug including Tamiflu to meet the International Good Manufacturing Practices Standard (GMP) determined by World Health
Organization (WHO).
The capability in producing drugs meeting the WHO's GMP standard would enable the Thai GPO to export its drugs and related pharmaceutical products worldwide, the minister said.
BANGKOK, Feb 9 - The first 200,000 tablets of the Thai-made generic version of the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir, better known as Tamiflu, has successfully been manufactured by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) and will be available to the public in July.
Following completion of laboratory testing, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thursday, the Thai-made anti-avian flu drug will be available for sale to the public.
Mr. Anutin said the Thai Oseltamivir, called GPO "A" Flu, is now undergoing laboratory testing, including efficiency in dissolving before the Department of Medical Sciences will conduct a bio-equivalence study.
After laboratory testing is complete, the drug will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for registration.
Expected to be available for sale in July, the first Thai anti-bird flu Tamiflu will be sold at 70 baht per tablet, cheaper by 50 baht per unit, compared to the 120 baht per capsule of imported Oseltamivir, Mr. Anutin said.
However, he said, the drug will not be available at general drugstores but can only be bought through medical units under Public Health Ministry supervision to ensure consumer safety.
According to the minister, the GPO is capable of producing about one million tablets of the anti-bird flu drug, sufficient for treating up to 100,000 patients, within 15 days.
Mr. Anutin said that he advised the government's medicinal production agency to build a new pharmaceuticals factory at Pathum Thani province's Thanyaburi district.
The GPO at present needs to increase its capability and efficiency in producing drug including Tamiflu to meet the International Good Manufacturing Practices Standard (GMP) determined by World Health
Organization (WHO).
The capability in producing drugs meeting the WHO's GMP standard would enable the Thai GPO to export its drugs and related pharmaceutical products worldwide, the minister said.
