A study in BMJ cast doubt not only on how safe and effective the antiviral Tamiflu is, but on the drug regulatory system that approved it. According to the researchers, "Governments around the world have spent billions on a drug that the scientific community now finds itself unable to judge." They go on to say that at best, the drug may shorten flu symptoms by about a day, but shows little evidence that it reduces complications like pneumonia. Finally, they suggest that authorities should consider its side effects before using the drug in healthy people.
Furthermore, Roche, the manufacturer of Tamiflu, has made it impossible for scientists to assess how well the anti-flu drug stockpiled around the globe works by withholding the evidence the company has gained from trials, doctors alleged.
Steve - yet another example of why we tell clients to wait on taking drugs that are new and have very little safety studies. More about Tamiflu in this Atlantic piece.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
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