Research published in the Public Library of Science on April 15th estimates that half the Tamiflu (an antiviral drug made by Roche) prescribed in England at the time of the H1N1 outbreak went unused, based on an analysis of traces of the drug in sewage.
There are other, older, anti-viral drugs available amantadine and rimantadine but any emerging influenza is more likely to develop resistance to these drugs.As countries have started to plan for a pandemic, many have begun stockpiling Tamiflu.
Anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir) reduce the duration of illness caused by seasonal influenza if taken within 48 hours of symptoms appearing.
"We cannot be certain whether the trial evidence supports the conclusion that (Tamiflu) reduces complications," they added.
She is receiving five drugs, including morphine for pain relief and Tamiflu to combat the H1N1 virus which has invaded her body.
"Nor do we understand if and how (Tamiflu) changes immune response, and important questions about its mode of action remain.
Taking Tamiflu is like taking an aspirin for a headache; it's a safe drug.
The Tamiflu didn't affect me at all, perhaps because I took it with a biscuit, as you're meant to.
I took Tamiflu as a preventative measure in Cairo in the summer, when I woke up feeling unwell after visiting a chicken market the day before.
More seriously, doctors warn that other ailments, from measles to meningitis, may be misdiagnosed, with potentially tragic consequences.The medicine being doled out, Tamiflu, is itself a worry, for evolving reasons.
This week panicked Argentines travelled to Chile and Uruguay in droves to buy drugs such as Tamiflu, despite the government's insistence that it would ensure there are sufficient stocks.Chile's response seems to have been swifter, better co-ordinated and more decisive.
