Psychiatric problems in patients taking Tamiflu

[BlackVelvet04]

I believe this is the drug that was being recommended in case of bird flu and the company whose board rummy was on.



FDA staff urges new caution on Roche flu drug

2 hours, 10 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.
Food and Drug Administration staff have recommended adding a new precaution to the label of Roche AG's flu-fighting drug Tamiflu about reports of psychiatric problems in patients who take it, according to documents made public on Monday.



The FDA reviewers said they evaluated 103 reports of delirium, suicidal behavior and other mental problems from August 2005 to July 2006. Three cases were fatal.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061113/ts_nm/roche_tamiflu_dc_4

[katinmn]

1. I wonder how many were members of the military.

I read recently that they were starting mandatory vaccinations again, using troops as guinea pigs.

[LiberalEsto]

3. Is there mercury in its preservative?

Regular flu shots are preserved with thimoseral, which contains mercury. I decided not to get one this year because I always get sick after getting a flu shot.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. Rumsfeld's portfolio just went down

Defense Secretary, ex-chairman of flu treatment rights holder, sees portfolio value growing.
October 31, 2005: 10:55 AM EST
By Nelson D. Schwartz, Fortune senior writer

NEW YORK (Fortune) - The prospect of a bird flu outbreak may be panicking people around the globe, but it's proving to be very good news for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other politically connected investors in Gilead Sciences, the California biotech company that owns the rights to Tamiflu, the influenza remedy that's now the most-sought after drug in the world.

Rumsfeld served as Gilead (Research)'s chairman from 1997 until he joined the Bush administration in 2001, and he still holds a Gilead stake valued at between $5 million and $25 million, according to federal financial disclosures filed by Rumsfeld.

The forms don't reveal the exact number of shares Rumsfeld owns, but in the past six months fears of a pandemic and the ensuing scramble for Tamiflu have sent Gilead's stock from $35 to $47. That's made the Pentagon chief, already one of the wealthiest members of the Bush cabinet, at least $1 million richer.

Rumsfeld isn't the only political heavyweight benefiting from demand for Tamiflu, which is manufactured and marketed by Swiss pharma giant Roche. (Gilead receives a royalty from Roche equaling about 10% of sales.) Former Secretary of State George Shultz, who is on Gilead's board, has sold more than $7 million worth of Gilead since the beginning of 2005.

Another board member is the wife of former California Gov. Pete Wilson.

more...
http://money.cnn.com/2005/10/31/news/newsmakers/fortune...

[Roland99]

4. Remember Rummy's recommendations of the Swine Flu vaccine under Ford?

Didn't something like 100-150 people DIE from that??

[katinmn]

6. Yes, they developed Guillain-Barre' Syndrome

another 300,000 got sick.

[BlackVelvet04]

11. I remember the swine flu vaccine.

I didn't get one....I didn't trust the government any more then than I do now.

[SoCalDem]

5. Rummy took his own medicine?? Maybe that's his problem

or at least ONE of them :)

[katinmn]

7. your sig graphic is precious!

:hi:

[SoCalDem]

8. Thanks :) feel free to borrow it :)

I have tons of bandwidth :)

[patcox2]

9. Japan has had this warning on it since 2004. Known since 2000.

The only real story is how long the FDA waited after the problem manifested itself in Japan six years ago.

On the other hand, you have to realize how many millions of people have been taking this drug; it was widely distributed by asian nations to combat bird flu, millions of doses, so 3 deaths and some hallucinating does not appear to be too alarming, especially since they never could determined whether the disease caused it, or the drug.

[Lasthorseman]

10. Third time I have had

a report about this. I believe the other one was a suicide in Japan.
Best thing to do is Google the term BARDA. I'm not going to the doctor unless I break a leg.