It is clear that this loss will affect us

Since a few days, you distribute a vaccine against influenza A/H1N1. What is the extent of the threat

Our role is not to assess this threat, but to be able to deal with requests from Governments and health authorities. Public authorities to decide who should be vaccinated and what stocks need to be. We all to implement to deliver it. This is what we have done in GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Personally, I would vaccinate if recommended me by my Government.

Do you have the means to cope with demand

Collectively, the pharmaceutical industry is faced with a challenge. Will we have enough vaccine to protect everyone in the world The answer is no. Both in terms of production, storage or distribution, the industry lacks sufficient capacity on a global scale. France - Where we have begun to deliver the last week - as in other developed countries, the vaccine will be available in sufficient quantities. The political response was adequate and the private sector was able to climb rapidly in power.

And in countries developing

Unfortunately, this flu is a crisis in addition to many others. In countries where it is already difficult to feed or care for everyone, this flu virus will be a further challenge. GSK is ready to contribute to his own way: we are giving 50 million doses of vaccines and antiviral Relenza boxes to the World Health Organization (who) that it distributes to the world's poorest countries. For the less poor emerging countries, we will offer our vaccines at prices significantly below the 7 euros in rich countries.

Threat to one another, this flu is also an opportunity for you

It is a major event. Beyond the 50 million doses for the who, we have also received command of 440 million doses and we to receive others. In a normal year, we produce 75 million flu vaccines and 1 billion doses all vaccines confused. We have certainly reduced our production of vaccines against seasonal flu and contracts with subcontractors ten. There is no less that the industrial effort is unprecedented. Our shareholders are rewarded for the risk that we took is not absurd. Otherwise, nobody would produce vaccines...

The market sees its growth slow. Is this the end of the model "big pharma" for laboratories

The laboratories are actually under pressure over a decade. Especially because many major drugs patents came to maturity, leading to a fall in prices. But it seems to me that one arrives at the end of this movement. First, because the main patent will be soon fell. Then, rising health care costs because is more taken by drug expenditures. Therefore he no doubt going to focus instead on ways to reduce costs of hospitalization and all administrative costs. In "big pharma" concept, it is not an institution in the Soviet. Development programs are global and must rely on larger companies capable of transforming into commercial success discoveries of biotechnology and the academic world. GlaxoSmithKline, our 35 research units are managed as mini-biotech and we have taken an equity or partnerships with 40 companies of this type.

But your group will still lose patent...

The next major deadline is expiring in early 2010 for the patent of the Zelitrex, an antiviral sold especially in the United States and France. It is clear that this loss will affect us. But we have earlier than our competitors affected by this problem. The worst will soon behind us on this front, which is not the case for all our competitors.

The first half was difficult for GSK. What is today

Earlier this year, we have actually suffered the arrival of new generics in the United States. The ventes growth slowed in the first quarter and we are almost back to the level in the second quarter. But the second half will inevitably benefit the influenza pandemic. And I'm optimistic as consumer products like Alli, Aquafresh or Sensodyne. In this area, we have achieved 9 growth in the first half, therefore in crisis. It is the strong growth in all major consumer goods groups! In times of crisis, consumers are puzzled by their choice. It is time that we have chosen to invest, with launches and promotions. And we have never won as many

Net sales of Alli, your medication without a prescription for obesity, but declined by 53 in 2008...

In the United States, we have witnessed a phenomenon of overstocking that we had to correct. We learned a lot from our mistakes across the Atlantic. Here, we are very satisfied with sales of Alli and work with pharmacies, which we can be sure that only people who need treatment are the available.

The economic crisis has an impact on your group

For the moment, it does us too much touched, except the United States, where health funding is partly private, which has weighed on the market. We will be more affected when, in view of the State of their finances, Governments may wish to reduce their health spending. Therefore, we are not fully immunized.

Pharmacy comes to know several mega-mergers: Pfizer-Wyeth, Merck-Schering Plough... Will you follow

No, very little for us. I don't see the interest to pay a 30 premium to remove then thousands of jobs! On the other hand, we carry out targeted acquisitions and partnerships to really accelerate our growth, as our alliance with Pfizer in AIDS.

But you also, you delete posts. How much will you reduce your workforce this year

We give the figures that once it is done, even if it makes crazy journalists. The persons concerned will be notified first. But the relative unimportance. In the United States, we have removed 1,800 positions of medical visitors last year, but we created 560 jobs in vaccines and acquired Stiefel. Adjustments are therefore ongoing and we expect no massive variations eager workforce.

Could you enter in the field of generics

The question may arise in the emerging countries where there are large volumes and little or no protection in terms of patents. But it does not arise in Europe or the United States, where only the first génériqueur can get away. Anyway, it is difficult for a company to promote both innovation and generic. It would seem one or the other. This is not a religion, but almost!

You just start your energy drink Lucozade in China. What developments do you expect from this activity away from the Pharmacy

In China, we found a distribution channel. The next step could be a launch in the US, but we need to find a partner because we are not the best in the world in the soft drinks. Lucozade is important for us, with high margins. And imagine that in Ireland, it has sold more than the Guinness! Lucozade is a former product which is part of the logical extension of the public health. However, we would not go in a completely new activity for us, such as médical equipment.

Do you assign some products competed by generics

We give a two products per year. These measures are sometimes at the same time simplifying production issues. This year, we sold the rights of the antidepressant Wellbutrin in the United States. Nothing more is expected in the immediate future.

In the field of malaria, your Mosquirix vaccine is in phase III of clinical trials. This would be the first in the world. When could it be available

The results of the first study are expected in 2011, and the second, for children, at the end of 2012. If tests are successful, the product could be available early 2013 at the earliest.

In France, the Cervarix vaccine against cancer of the cervix is not recommended by health authorities, who prefer the Gardasil of Sanofi - Aventis. How do you expect to gain market share

The situation will change France. New data were submitted to the European authorities and we will get back to the French authorities with the latest results, probably in the first half of 2010. The France is a very important country for us, even if the market is dominated by Sanofi-Aventis.

You agree to the least developed countries. In concrete terms, what can do GlaxoSmithKline

We dropped the price of our products sold to these countries so that they represent no more than 25 of those in developed countries. And we will announce new measures by the end of the year. We are also committed to investing in the infrastructure of these countries 20 of the profits made locally. We are trying to pave the way... I don't want that someone comes a day in my Office and tell me that I have nothing done to the third world. We are not the United Nations, but we can do something.