Aha, Tamiflu is considered useful in ameliorating the worst of the effects: <Canada is purchasing the antiviral drug oseltamivir, also known as Tamiflu, essentially an insurance policy for when the pandemic strikes. Only a few other countries -- Australia, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States -- have also begun creating stockpiles.
The rationale for an antiviral stockpile is that as part of its readiness plans, the government has arranged for a drug manufacturer to produce a vaccine to immunize all 32 million Canadians against the new strain of the flu that sparks a pandemic. However, development of that vaccine cannot start until the pandemic occurs and scientists are able to identify the specific subtype of the new flu. This means it could be at least three to four months before a vaccine is produced, a lag time during which thousands of Canadians could be infected.
It is possible, however, to produce antiviral drugs in advance to use in the early stages of a pandemic. The drugs are effective in preventing healthy people from getting the flu. Moreover, if a person who gets the flu takes the drug within 48 hours of symptoms, the length of their illness can be reduced and they will be less infectious to other people. This could significantly slow the spread of the pandemic.
However, the problem with antivirals is the high cost and the fact that, although at first effective, viruses tend to develop resistance to them.
In addition, these pills only have a shelf-life of 4 1/2 years.
>
Mqurice |
