شرکت دارويی روش سوئيس موافقت کرده است با چهار شرکت آمريکايی توليد کننده داروی آنفولانزای مرغی وارد گفتگو شود. گفته می شود داروی تمی فلو، که توسط اين شرکت های آمريکايی توليد می شود، در درمان آنفولانزای مرغی منتقل شده به انسان بسيار موثر بوده است. اما توليد کافی اين دارو هنوز با مشکل روبروست. مارک گريگوری گزارش می دهد:

به گزارش گوش بدهيد

Tamiflu is made from shikimic acid but until recently there was only one significant source of supply. The acid was extracted from the seeds of the star anice plant, which for centuries has been used in flavouring oriental cooking. The entire world crop of star anice comes from just four provinces in China, and it's only harvested in three months of the year.

Shortage of star anice would have been a major constraint on increasing production of Tamiflu, except that a few months ago a way was found of making shikimic acid artificially. Roche now derives some of the raw material it needs from fermenting e-coli bacteria. Other drug companies can copy this - but it won't be easy and it won't be quick. Every batch of Tamiflu takes a year to make - and at one of the ten stages the material is highly explosive.

Roche now says its willing to let other drug companies manufacture Tamiflu, but even if this does happen soon it will certainly be months, and possibly years, before stocks are big enough to meet potential demand in the event of a bird flu pandemic in humans.

Mark Gregory, BBC business reporter

به کلمات گوش بدهيد

extracted from
استخراج شده از، گرفته شده از

harvested
درو شده، از زمين گرفته شده است

Shortage
کمبود

a major constraint
مانعی بزرگ

artificially
به طور مصنوعی، دست ساز

derives
در اينجا: دريافت می کند، می گيرد

batch
دسته، مجموعه

stocks
موجودی، ذخيره

potential demand
تقاضای احتمالی

in the event of a bird flu pandemic in humans
اگر آنفولانزای مرغی به صورت اپيدمی و همه گير بروز کند