US embassy cable - 05HANOI3000

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 003000 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND EB/TPP/BTA/ANA GOODMAN AND WICKMAN 
STATE PASS USTR ELENA BRYAN AND GREG HICKS 
USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OPB/VLC/HPPHO 
USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCAROLL, SCLEMENTS AND PCHAPLIN) 
STATE ALSO PASS HHS/OGHA (EELVANDER) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, KIPR, EAID, EAGR, SOCI, PGOV, VM, AFLU, WTO 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM SEEKS TO MAKE TAMIFLU OR HUMAN VACCINE 
 
SENSITIVE - DO NOT POST ON INTERNET 
 
1. Action Request:  See paragraph 8. 
 
2. (SBU) Summary: Vietnamese Minister of Health Tran Thi 
Chung Chien unexpectedly joined a November 8 meeting between 
the Ambassador and Vice Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung on 
WTO and bilateral issues.  Madame Chien asked for U.S. 
assistance in persuading Roche to give Vietnam a license to 
produce Tamiflu, noting that Vietnam was prepared to resort 
to compulsory licensing unless Roche agreed.  Vice Foreign 
Minister Phung appealed for U.S. help in obtaining Tamiflu 
supplies for this year's flu season. Chien also asked for 
U.S. help in finding a company to work with Vietnam to 
produce a human vaccine against Avian Influenza (AI) and 
promised that Vietnam's National Preparedness Plan would be 
published next week.  End Summary. 
 
3.  (SBU) The Ambassador arrived at the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs for a meeting with Vice Minister Le Cong Phung to 
discuss WTO accession and bilateral affairs only to discover 
that Vietnamese Minister of Health Tran Thi Chung Chien had 
invited herself to join the meeting.  The Minister arrived 
late, after discussion of the WTO and other issues 
(septels).  After pleasantries about HHS Secretary Leavitt's 
visit, Madame Chien said that she wanted to discuss two 
issues: first, obtaining a license to produce Tamiflu, and 
second, help in production of a human vaccine. 
 
Tamiflu Or a License to Make It 
------------------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) The Minister said that she had met November 7 with 
the Director of Roche's Asia and Pacific Department, who was 
in Vietnam for a seminar, about obtaining adequate supplies 
of Tamiflu or a license to produce Tamiflu in Vietnam. 
Vietnam estimates that in the event of a pandemic, 8.2 
million Vietnamese (about a tenth of the population) could 
fall ill.  Treatment calls for ten doses of Tamiflu, so 
Vietnam asked Roche to supply 82 million doses.  However, 
Roche said it could supply only small amounts immediately 
and not the full amount until August 2006.  The Vietnamese 
side proposed that Roche supply Vietnam with Tamiflu in 
powder form and Vietnam would turn it into tablets and 
package it.  According to the Minister, Roche declined to 
license Tamiflu production; however, Roche and Vietnam 
signed a memorandum, although she did not respond to the 
Ambassador's request for a copy.  Chien said that she had 
just come from a meeting with EU representatives on the same 
issue, but they "had not been cooperative."  As a result, 
Vietnam is considering compulsory licensing of Tamiflu. 
Vice Minister Phung added that a pandemic could break out 
before August 2006 and asked that the United States help 
Vietnam to obtain adequate supplies of Tamiflu and to obtain 
the right and technical ability to manufacture Tamiflu. 
 
5.  (SBU) The Ambassador promised to convey the GVN requests 
to Washington.  He noted that the supply of Tamiflu is 
insufficient worldwide, including in the United States. 
There are ongoing discussions with the WHO and many 
countries about stockpiling and other measures.  Press 
reports, he pointed out, say that Roche believes that 
production of Tamiflu is technically difficult for a third 
party to set up in a short time.  The need for quick action 
is obvious, the Ambassador added, noting press reports of 
another death in Vietnam.  He asked the Minister to provide 
more details on Vietnam's discussions with Roche, including 
a copy of the MOU signed that day with Roche. 
 
Human Vaccine: the U.S. Commitment 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) The Minister also asked for U.S. assistance in 
finding companies to help Vietnam produce a human vaccine 
against AI.  She mentioned that Vietnam had talked with a 
French company that had vaccine technology.  She pointed out 
that in the Letter of Intent that she and Secretary Leavitt 
had signed in October, the United States had promised to 
help Vietnam with training for vaccination and production 
technology.  She hoped that the U.S. side could accelerate 
production of a human vaccine as well as help upgrade two 
laboratories, one at the National Institute of Hygiene and 
Epidemiology in Hanoi and the other at the Pasteur Institute 
in Ho Chi Minh City.  The Ambassador replied that 
implementation of the Letter of Intent was in process, but 
he understood the Minister's desire to accelerate the 
process.  He noted the importance of letting the experts 
work out issues relating to production of both Tamiflu and 
human vaccine. 
 
National Preparedness Plan 
-------------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) The Ambassador asked when Vietnam's National 
Preparedness Plan would be published.  The sooner it is 
published, the sooner donors can start to adjust their 
assistance programs.  The Minister replied that the plan 
should be published this week.  In accordance with this 
National Plan, the Government is organizing response 
exercises in three regions: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the 
central region. She hoped that after the exercises, Vietnam 
would be able to improve its plans. 
 
8.  (SBU) Action requested: Post requests Department 
guidance on how to respond to the GVN requests listed in 
paragraphs 4 and 6. 
 
MARINE