Chinese police break up fake Tamiflu ring -report

BEIJING, Aug 30 (Reuters) Police in China's commercial hub of Shanghai have broken up a ring that was selling a fake version of Tamiflu -- considered a key medical defence against bird flu in humans, an official state newspaper today said.

The group made more than 1.6 million yuan selling the drugs online and via other channels in China and in southeast Asia, the China Daily said.

Police arrested 13 people and seized 400 kilos of the fake drugs and 46 tonnes of raw materials, it said.

''The ingredients of the pill were not released because of fears it would be copied, but it is said to be extremely volatile as the method of production can easily cause explosions,'' the report said.

Tamiflu is made by Roche Holding A G, but Shanghai Pharmaceutical (Group), parent of Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., has been licenced to make the drug in China.

China has reported 14 human deaths from the H5N1 form of bird flu since 2003, out of 21 total confirmed cases. Dozens of poultry outbreaks have been reported.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu can strike domestic and wild birds and infect humans who have close contact with them.

Some scientists fear that the strain could mutate and cause a pandemic in which millions of people could die.

REUTERS SY BD1012