Bird Flu resistant to Tamiflu!?

[annabanana]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/12/21/birdflu.tamiflu.ap/index.html

"LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- In a development health experts are calling alarming, two bird flu patients in Vietnam died after developing resistance to Tamiflu, the key drug that governments are stockpiling in case of a large-scale outbreak."

BOY is that ever going to burn Rummy's ass! (not to mention that we are, once again, on our own if disaster hits)

[Canuckistanian]

1. Burning Rummy's ass is a dream of mine

Althought the sight of a septugenarian's burnt posterior is not as pretty a picture as I imagined.

[Oreo]

2. I've seen several places that say Tamiflu is not effective...

And is actually more dangerous than the current form of the flu. Several children in Japan died after being given Tamiflu.

Here's info from the FDA
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/tamiflu/QA20051117.htm

and a story on the deaths
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-11-13-voa12.cfm

[MercutioATC]

3. Tamiflu's NEVER been a cure...

Tamiflu is one of two drugs (Relenza is the other) that have been generally thought to help alleviate flu symptoms related to avian flu. That's it.

It was never a cure...just a possible way to minimize symptoms.

[PDJane]

4. Frankly,

Star anise, elderberry extracts, honey and garlic are probably as effective.....without the nasty side effects.

[MercutioATC]

5. Agreed. Natural remedies are always overlooked.

No money to be made....

[AZBlue]

6. Right.

And you have to take it right away for it to be effective - if there's any delay between the onset of the flu and taking the first dose, it will be less effective or completely ineffective.

[MercutioATC]

7. And you can't take it before symptoms begin...

...it has no prophylactic benefit.

[AZBlue]

8. Yes - I forgot about that part!

Which makes me worry even more about a possible widespread epidemic - so many people have bought it online or overseas and don't have the proper advice or dosage info. If they take it early, thinking it will prevent them from getting it, might it actually make them more vulnerable?

[northzax]

9. I don't know about 'resistant'

since there has never been a study, including by Roche, that says Tamiflu or other anti-retrovirals are any good against avian flu. Heck, there aren't any real studies that show it has much effect on any flu, except a slight shortening of the symptomatic period.