CAIRO: Despite the prohibition on the sale of Tamiflu in pharmacies, the drug continues to be readily available. Tamiflu is effective in the treatment and prevention of swine flu and is currently only legally available in public hospitals. Swine flu arrived in Egypt at the start of June, receiving much attention and prompting many individuals to take measures to protect themselves. Some have purchased antibacterial soaps and face masks. Others still have illegally bought the drug Tamiflu to prepare themselves, willing to pay the extra cost. The World Health Organization and Ministry of Health have advised against purchasing or taking the drug without a confirmed infection. In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has increased the country s reserves of Tamiflu in preparation for mounting cases of swine flu and announced plans of manufacturing it in Egypt. Chairman of the Doctors Syndicate Hamdy El-Sayyed, who also heads parliament's health committee, said the Ministry of Health views the illegitimate sale of the drug as a serious problem. "In a very short period, the viruses will be resistant to the drug. That is why the Ministry of Health is insisting, he said. According to El-Sayyed, the ministry is aware that the medication is being obtained privately. He said that in some cases, private distribution included counterfeit drugs. "We know there is a black market going on and the prices of the drug are going very high, he said. In response, the Ministry of Health is renewing its efforts in preventing the illegal sale of Tamiflu. "So the government is keeping an eye on pharmacies, El-Sayyed said. According to El-Sayyed, they are confiscating the drug. If pharmacies are caught selling, he said, they can be closed. But El-Sayyed said the recent government action is only an extension of routine pharmacy inspections. In some cases, inspectors will arrive undercover, posing as a Tamiflu seeking customer. Dr Mustafa Kamal, a pharmacist Downtown, said he knew of some pharmacies that had been visited by ministry officials. Despite the common private sale of the drug, he said those specific pharmacies did not offer Tamiflu. He said he did not know of any pharmacies that had been caught selling the drug. In an earlier investigation by Daily News Egypt, it was discovered that many pharmacies were selling Tamiflu under the table for around LE 350 to LE 400s. During subsequent visits to several pharmacies in Cairo s downtown, it became clear that protocol for the sale of Tamiflu is still not universally known or accepted. Pharmacists said they had not received any direct warning from authorities against the sale of Tamiflu. Most pharmacies asked not to be identified for this article due to the questions of legality surrounding the sale of the drug. Some pharmacy owners and employees said outright that they do not carry or sell Tamiflu. But other responses ranged from vague to evasive. A few of those pharmacists interviewed said they had and sold Tamiflu. One pharmacist said they required a doctor s prescription, while others said it was not necessary. One pharmacist explained that while he knew a hospital visit is required, he felt that the drug is simple and harmless enough to be sold without it. Another said that he was willing to sell Tamiflu to known, trusted customers. Many pharmacists develop a rapport with local customers and thus feel comfortable administering them otherwise unavailable drugs. The surplus of Tamiflu in Egypt was given as evidence that Tamiflu need not be rationed and the rules on prescriptions could be relaxed by a young pharmacist who also claimed to have been receiving a few inquiries a day about the drug. Pharmacists said that those seeking the drug generally did not display any symptoms of the flu, but rather wanted to take it in an effort to prevent contracting it or in the event they did develop symptoms. Tamiflu sold privately is unregistered and must be smuggled into the country. Because of custom checks on packages, the drug is likely brought in on passenger flights. Privately-owned pharmacies, of which there are approximately 45,000 in the country, have been at odds with the government in recent months. In February authorities attempted to implement a new tax law which would require pharmacies to include all merchandise sold in their bookkeeping and tax return forms. Goods from bandages to toothbrushes and sunscreen would now be taxable. The Pharmacists Syndicate could not be reached for comment, and the Ministry of Health did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
