Tamiflu 'harmful to children'

[Skandi]

Experts say children should not be given the swine flu drug Tamiflu because the negative effects could outweigh the benefits.

The Department of Health is under pressure to hold an urgent rethink of its current policy.

The study found that Tamiflu caused vomiting in some children, which can lead to dehydration and complications.more (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090810/tuk-tamiflu-harmful-to-children-dba1618.html)

[Groenewolf]

Besides there are growing cases (http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090804/Tamiflu-resistant-swine-flu-identified-along-Texas-Mexico-border.aspx) where tamiflu does not work.


PAHO on Monday announced it had found Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 (swine) flu along the Texas-Mexico border, Agence-France Press reports. The discovery of several cases in El Paso and McAllen, Texas, adds the U.S. to a growing list of countries with antiviral-resistant H1N1, such as Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong and Japan. "Experts had gathered in La Jolla on Monday to discuss the response to the outbreak, and warned that resistant strains were likely emerging because of overuse of antivirals like Tamiflu," the news service writes

[anonymaus]

Tamiflu's common ADRs in "over 1%" of users are listed as "nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headache." This isn't shocking or reason to avoid treatment.

I'd also like to point out one of my pet peeves, poor writing: Tamiflu isn't a "swine flu drug", but a general anti-viral which works well on some types of influenza--in order for it to be most effective against swine flu it has to be used in combination with other, similar, anti-virals.

A lazy writer and careless editor are all it takes to gravely misinform people.