Thai Professor Urges Greater, Not Less, Use Of Tamiflu For Bird Flu

Executive Summary

A Thailand professor suggests healthcare providers prescribe a higher dose of Roche's Tamiflu (oseltamivir) for resistant strains of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, not avoid its use altogether. Nicholas White of Mahidol University wrote in a medical journal that despite the threat of resistance, higher doses of the drug should be used because of its fatality rate - 262 deaths out of 433 people infected since 2003. He said common sense argues for higher doses to reduce the fatality of infections. White's article drew criticism from other medical experts who said it was dangerous to rely on a single flu drug such as Tamiflu. (Click here for more