New Delhi: With the Animal Husbandary department of Maharashtra confirming reports of bird flu cases, leading pharmaceutical firm Cipla Ltd on Sunday said it would be releasing its version of Tamiflu in the Indian market in a week's time.
"We are already making the capsules and they will be in the market in the middle of next week. These capsules are for human usage and we are not making capsules for birds," Chairman of Cipla Yusuf K Hamied said.
Hameid said that Cipla has the capacity to produce one lakh units or doses each week. "Each dose will include 10 capsules. We can step that up in due course of time," he added.
"The wholesale price is about Rs 650. If the government wants to buy it from us, they can have it at Rs 650 and distribute it as and how they wish," he added.
Health Secretary PK Hota adviced that people should not consume the drug indiscriminately. He added that children below the age of seven should not take the drug.
Hyderabad-based Hetero Drugs, which has been granted licence by the government for bulk manufacturing of the drug in Indian market, said it would deliver an additional two lakh capsules of oseltamivir in the next three-four days.
Oseltamivir is the generic version of Tamiflu, which is considered to be the best remedy to the deadly disease. The company had already made available five lakh capsules to it the government.
(With agency inputs)
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