THE Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche said overnight it would limit stocks of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu available to private consumers.

A spokesman for Roche Group, Alexander Klauser, said the measure was being taken in Switzerland, but he could not rule out a similar step by Roche subsidiaries elsewhere.

"Our priority is to ensure that Tamiflu will be available for seasonal use to patients," Mr Krauser said.

"We limit the stocks in order to make sure that Tamiflu is available at the start of the influenza season."

The move follows a rush on the drug in recent weeks, amid fears of a possible flu pandemic after a virulent Asian strain of potentially deadly avian influenza spread to Europe in migrating birds.

Roche's decision does not affect the supply of official pandemic preparation stockpiles in more than 40 countries, Mr Klauser said.

The firm has written to wholesalers and doctors in Switzerland to ensure the prescription drug is only given to people who have influenza.

Roche Group indicated that it was up to national subsidiaries to decide what approach to take.

"I can't talk on behalf of other countries but it might apply to other countries that have the same issues," Mr Klauser said.

He emphasised that the parent company's priority was to ensure that enough Tamiflu was available when the seasonal flu virus appears.

"At the moment there is no influenza circulating so people don't really need Tamiflu but when the season starts, when somebody is diagnosed with influenza, they should get the medicine," Mr Klauser said.