China - back from the stars

Fei Junglong and Nie Haisheng after they touched down

As two Chinese taikonauts landed safely in northern China, the world failed to watch. Besides a far more open coverage of an historic mission, western media only made a brief mention as to its success. CNN continued to cover ‘World Sport’ as UK broadcasters continued with their regular programming. Headlines in the UK are otherwise dominated by the spread of Bird-Flu and the lack of any health plan, if it should mutate and become a pandemic. In that regard there is a twisted irony. The main weapon against the virus is Tamiflu. And the source of its active ingredient; Star Anise. Described in Saturday’s Independent as “the world’s only weapon against bird flu”, Star Anise or Illicium verum is a herb which is widely used in oriental cooking as well as Chinese traditional medicine. Only Star Anise grown in four provinces of China is said to be suitable for the manufacture of Tamiflu, according to its makers Roche pharmaceutical of Switzerland. With much of the harvest being taken by Roche, supplies are almost exhausted. Roche also holds the patent on the drug, Tamiflu, and has faced pressure to allow other manufacturers to produce it. Roche say that it “would be difficult for another manufacturer to set up production”. Indeed the process is complicated, requiring the initial extraction of shikimic acid from the seeds which is in turn converted to epoxide in a process requiring three chemical steps. Parts of the process carries with it some risk as highly explosive bi-products are created in its manufacture. The active ingredient, oseltamivir, is crystallized and placed into capsules. But as arguments over manufacture continue, a blackmarket in the drug has started. Tamiflu tablets have sold for £9 a tablet in Turkey, scene of one outbreak. Roche have issued a warning not to purchase Tamiflu via the internet, citing the risk of buying counterfeit products. Professor Hugh Pennington, who has previously headed government health investigations in the UK, said that people need not over-react. “Tamiflu is not the wonder drug some people claim”, he said.
[22:47 GMT 16/10/2005]