South San Francisco, CA — February 10th, 2016 — Based upon our current forecasts, we anticipate having sufficient supply of both Tamiflu® (oseltamivir phosphate) formulations (oral suspension and capsules) for the 2015-16 flu season.
We produced enough supply of all Tamiflu formulations to be prepared for a severe flu season and are working with distributors and national retail pharmacies to optimize access to Tamiflu across the country.
Flu activity is unpredictable and, as the manufacturer of Tamiflu, we do our best each season to anticipate demand for Tamiflu by interpreting data from proprietary and public sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and year-over-year trends. For a detailed understanding of how we manage supply, see this story and infographic: http://www.gene.com/stories/tracking-the-flu.
Resources for reporters about flu and Tamiflu are available at http://www.gene.com/media/news-features/flu-season.
For pharmacists experiencing problems obtaining Tamiflu, please contact Genentech's Customer Service department at 1-800-551-2231.
Indications
Tamiflu is a prescription medicine used to treat the flu (influenza) in people 2 weeks of age and older who have had flu symptoms for no more than 2 days. Tamiflu can also reduce the chance of getting the flu in people 1 year and older.
Tamiflu does not prevent bacterial infections that may happen with the flu.
Tamiflu is not a substitute for an annual flu vaccination.
Patients must not take Tamiflu if they are allergic to oseltamivir phosphate or any of the ingredients in Tamiflu.
Important Safety Information
· If patients have an allergic reaction or a severe rash with Tamiflu, they must stop taking it and contact their doctor right away. This may be very serious
· People with the flu, particularly children and adolescents, may be at an increased risk of seizure, confusion, or abnormal behavior early during their illness
· Patients must let their doctor know if they are pregnant, nursing, have heart problems, breathing problems, a weakened immune system (immunocompromised), kidney problems or other medical conditions as Tamiflu may not be right for them
· Patients must also tell their doctor about any medications they are taking or if they’ve received a nasal-spray flu vaccine in the past two weeks
· The most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain
Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Patients and caregivers may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.
Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.gene.com.