Taiwan's pharmaceutical industry is set to come under the international spotlight after the island's health authorities said they would call for bidders to make Tamiflu as early as next week, with the manufacturers to be chosen by the end of next month.
A committee of Taiwan's Intellectual Property Office last week granted health authorities a compulsory licence, giving the Department of Health the legal right to bypass patent protection for Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche and produce the anti-viral drug.
Roche responded last week by committing to provide an extra supply to Taiwan to fend off the idea of Taiwanese authorities making it themselves.
Tamiflu is the primary drug used to tackle bird flu, but has yet to be made anywhere in the world without the consent of Roche. Fears of a global bird flu pandemic have prompted many countries to consider making the drug.
Department of Health spokesman Li Jih-heng told the South China Morning Post that 15 to 16 island companies had been identified by the Bureau of Pharmaceutical Affairs as potential bidders and would be invited to submit tenders to produce the drug.
The bidding process will be swift because 'if we postpone to next year, it will be too late', Mr Li said.