A Swedish scientist has warned of the severe dangers of abusing Tamiflu as the active ingredient survives the sewerage process, which presents the danger that a Tamiflu resistant version of bird flu may develop. This was the claim earlier today by Jerker Fick of the Umea University.
It was pointed out that Japan (probably the largest consumers of Tamiflu worldwide) was beginning to become resistant to the therapeutic benefits of Tamiflu. In the flu season of 2004 -2005, 16 million Japanese people caught the flu and 6 million were prescribed Tamiflu! Studies have confirmed that there appears to be an emerging resistance to Tamiflu. A study in 2004 showed that 18% of a group of flu infected children had a mutated form of the virus which made them up to 100,000 times more resistant to Tamiflu.
This comes at a time when Roche (the Tamiflu manufacturer) has just announced that it has enough stocks for the upcoming flu season and also that it has received regulatory approval in Europe for smaller dose capsules suitable for paediatrics. The normal dose is 75 mg for an adult but children weighing less than 40 kg require a dosage adjustment and this is normally effected through Tamiflu suspension but this is complicated and it does not have a long shelf life. The new dosages are in 30 mg and 45 mg.