News tagged with 'Tamiflu'

Three studies are looking at the small percentage of patients who become critically ill requiring ICU care. While the majority of cases are mild, the average age of those critically ill is remarkably young, in the mid-30s. The studies express the concern that there may not be enough ICU units available to accommodate patients who need them.

The death of a New York City assistant principal from swine flu bring the U.S. death toll to 6, while the World Health Organization meets in Geneva to discuss how pharmaceutical companies can patent the virus to developing a vaccine.

With swine flu still spreading, global health officials are warning countries to limit use of antiviral drugs, used to treat influenza, to only high-risk patients such as pregnant women and chronically ill patients to ensure adequate supplies.

Influenza experts are on alert and standby in case they are needed to advise the World Health Organization. The influenza is confirmed in 331 people. Ten have died.  In the U.S., the CDC there are 141 cases and one confirmed death.

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows Tamiflu, the main drug used to treat the most-common form of flu in the U.S., is ineffective against most cases tested so far this flu season.

As flu season winds down, the  makers of Tamiflu  have been forced to put stronger language on its label warning of the potential for psychiatric problems. Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has sent letters to doctors that hundreds of cases of delirium and some self-injury has been seen among people taking the prescription medication.