Roche to work with China on producing bird flu drug

Citing the long manufacturing lead times and high demand, Swiss drugmaker Roche said it will not be able to meet China's demand for Tamiflu, the first line of defense against a potential bird flu pandemic outbreak, though it suggested it would work with Beijing to raise production, possibly allowing the government or other Chinese companies to produce the drug, the AFP reported. It is unknown how much Tamiflu China has stockpiled.