Some have condemned the Rouche Pharmacuetical Corporation for buying up 90% of the Star Anise crop as reported in the Boston Globe. (questionable source indeed). The fruit is said to be a component of the Tamiflu vaccine. Now that the H5N1 Bird Flu strain is being found in Africa some are crying foul, as Rouche is has already taken advance orders from more wealthy nations.

Surely it is understandable the problematic situation here and the potential inequities of wealthy nations and Big Pharma from a philosophical stand point. But we must also realize that there is said to be a Cabbage type in Asia which is also said to prevent Bird Flu, I believe it is Kim Chee, so if Rouche buys up all that too, all they will be doing is going from a Big Pharma company to a real estate company with their proceeds or a food broker, as they attempt to vertically integrate to insure the flow to their supply chain needed to fulfill future orders and desire for the vaccine.

The thought that Rouche is manipulating price because it is trying to insure its supply line in advance of big storm is like condemning FEMA for moving in their supply chain into the region before a Hurricane. If they don't everyone gets mad, and if they do, you are saying it is Anti-Trust? Bull. Consider this particular point of view.

Lance Winslow