The New England Journal of Medicine (12/21/05) published a paper documenting the growing resistance of the H5N1 virus to Tamiflu. Researchers reported two cases of patients in Vietnam who died despite being treated with the drug. This confirms anecdotal reports from doctors in the field.

The British government responded to the report by issuing a statement that Tamiflu was still the best treatment available. The British National Health Service has ordered 14 million courses of Tamiflu.

Roche has promised the U.S. 20 million courses by the end of 2006 and 75 million by the spring or summer of 2007.

The World Health Organization issued a statement implying that Tamiflu treatment of the patients who died in Vietnam may not have begun soon enough.

The Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche said that increased doses of Tamiflu may be needed to treat human cases of virulent bird flu, after the New England Journal of Medicine study indicated that the H5N1 virus had developed resistance to its flagship anti-influenza drug.

Meanwhile, as alarmed private citizens try to order the drug over the Internet, U.S. Customs has seized hundreds of counterfeit and fake generic shipments of Tamiflu heading into the U.S. from Asia.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, spoke to Congress about Tamiflu. In testimony before the House Committee on International Relations, Fauci said, "I want to caution the committee that we cannot equate stockpiling and availability of Tamiflu with preparedness. We have no hard scientific data of how well this antiviral will perform under the conditions of a pandemic."

In the middle of this controversy, the FDA has OKed Tamiflu for children.

Roche is currently stepping up shipments to parts of several Midwestern and Western U.S. states that are recently hard hit by the usual seasonal flu.