The case focuses on the problems of maintaining a network of Roche supplies for a global influenza pandemic response initiative based on its antiviral drug Tamiflu. The Roche Group is CHF 40 billion company, consisting of the pharmaceutical division and diagnostic division. The antiviral drug Tamiflu company dominates the market for the prevention and treatment of seasonal influenza (flu). Tamiflu, however, may also play an important role in the response to the first wave of a pandemic caused by a particularly harmful strain of influenza A virus, Tamiflu has been designed to be effective against all strains of type A or B influenza. Thus, had the potential to create a training plan based on stockpiling the drug in conjunction with an appropriate plan of distribution to the affected population. The use of Tamiflu in such a crisis the world will respond immediately, rather than waiting for the development of vaccines that have restrictions on their performance and the drug was approved by the WHO as the first line of defense. The case focuses on the problems of Roche maintain the supply network for the global initiative to respond to the pandemic. Power management is particularly difficult for three reasons. First, the demand for stocks variables prickly and uncertain, and the Government Procurement expect deadlines to be short. Second, the time frame for increasing the capacity of long, as well as the time frame for the production of drugs and encapsulation. Last, the media and press releases made by governments and other stakeholders to increase the rate, and negative media coverage could damage the company's reputation with consumers Roche, which has led to a decline in sales of its products. "Hide
by Noel Watson, Laura Rock Kopczak, Prashant Yadav Source: Harvard Business School 21 pages. Publication Date: January 15, 2009. Prod. #: 609061-PDF-ENG