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* Roche says extra Tamiflu supplies will have differentpackaging
* Says spot shortages of children's liquid Tamiflu tocontinue
* Safeway, Rite Aid ship additional vaccine to U.S. stores
By Ransdell Pierson
Jan 17 (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG said U.S.regulators will allow it to begin selling the company's reservestock of adult Tamiflu capsules, and that the extra supplies ofthe flu treatment should meet U.S. demand for that formulationfor the rest of this flu season.
The Swiss drugmaker said the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration will allow it to sell Tamiflu capsules indifferent packaging from what is currently available in theUnited States.
"The medicine from our reserve stock is the same as themedicine that is currently being distributed," and in the same75 milligram adult dose, said company spokeswoman TaraIannuccillo.
But Roche's Genentech unit, which makes Tamiflu, said itcontinues to expect spot shortages of a different liquidformulation used by children because continuing production of itwill not meet demand.
The company said pharmacists can create a substitute liquidformulation by dissolving Tamiflu capsules into a sweet liquid.
Tamiflu is used to slow down or stop symptoms of the flu inpeople that already have been infected with the virus.
Shortages of the treatment come as the United States isexperiencing one of the worst influenza epidemics of the pastdecade.
Health officials have said it is not too late for people tobe vaccinated, but many across the country have had difficultyfinding available vaccines at doctors' offices and drugstores.
Sanofi SA, the largest flu vaccine provider in theUnited States, last week said it had sold out of four of the sixformulations of its Fluzone seasonal flu vaccine due to theunanticipated late-season demand for vaccines.
Drugstore chain Rite Aid Corp on Thursday said ithad obtained more than 400,000 additional doses of seasonal flushots, which are being delivered to areas of need based onactual or anticipated flu outbreak. The vaccine will beadministered by pharmacists in its U.S. drugstores.
Safeway Inc on Wednesday said it had shipped anadditional 200,000 does of its vaccine to its U.S. pharmacies tomeet high demand. The supermarket chain offered customers whoreceive the vaccine a coupon for 10 percent off their nextgrocery purchase.
Forty-seven states are reporting widespread influenzaactivity, and the nation's capital is also battling the seasonalscourge, which can be spread to others up to six feet away whenpeople with flu cough, sneeze or talk.
Dozens of hand sanitizers cropped up this week at the U.S.Capitol in Washington, amidst heated preparations, and intensesecurity, for President Barack Obama's second inauguration onMonday.
With hundreds of thousands of people expected to jam thecity - particularly at crowded inaugural balls - healthofficials warned those who attend to wash their hands regularlyand consider bringing hand sanitizer. And they had advice bothfor those who are ill - Stay home - and for those who are not:Get vaccinated, if you have not already done so.
