In today's Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/roche-dismisses-tamiflu-criticism/story-fn3dxity-1225808723837
THE Roche pharmaceutical company has dismissed the findings of a team of medical researchers against Tamiflu, branding their review of the swine flu drug incomplete.
The team, led by a Gold Coast academic, has queried the use of Tamiflu and criticised the secrecy of Roche which is making billions of dollars a year from the weapon of choice against influenza.
Roche has estimated sales of STG1.6 billion ($2.88 billion) this year alone from Tamiflu.
The joint investigation by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and the BBC's Channel Four found there is no clear evidence that Tamiflu prevents complications like pneumonia in healthy people.
The research team was led by Professor Chris Del Mar, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research at Bond University on the Gold Coast.
Roche said the research team chose to exclude vital information from their analysis and did not allow the company to independently verify the findings.
"This omission has led to an incomplete review of the efficacy of Tamiflu for the scientific community," Roche said in a statement.
"Roche welcomes dialogue on Tamiflu and any of our medicines conducted through the appropriate scientific channels."
However, Professor Del Mar said Roche refused to release its data unless the team signed unacceptable secrecy agreements.
"It makes us wonder what's there," he said.
"It was a secrecy clause which had to be itself secret - we wouldn't even be able to say we'd signed it."
The pharmaceutical giant said it stood by its data supporting the efficacy and safety of Tamiflu, the conduct of its clinical trials and its publication policies.
"The safety and efficacy of Tamiflu is well established in clinical trials, scientific peer-reviewed publications and post-marketing studies, and the drug has been approved by 80 regulatory authorities worldwide including the EMEA and the US FDA," the company said.
"Tamiflu has been commercially available for 10 years and used by around 68 million people worldwide."
Roche plans to soon provide reports on detailed clinical trials to a number of research bodies through a secure website to ensure patient confidentiality.
Claims about the effectiveness of Tamiflu against complications have been a key factor in decisions by governments around the world to stockpile the drug as part of plans to combat a possible swine flu pandemic.
Professor Del Mar said his study had global implications.
"We are less certain now about the usefulness of this drug, and we realise we don't actually know as much about it as we thought we did," he said.
Professor Del Mar said it was time for the Australian Government to re-evaluate its response to the swine flu pandemic, and its use of Tamiflu for seasonal influenza.
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