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Flu … the antiviral drug debate returns
Not only does it appear to be ineffective at preventing flu, but Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) also appears to pollute underground water. A Swedish study has in fact shown that medicine residues from this antiviral drug are not eliminated by water treatment plants. There is therefore a danger of resistance developing.
How does this happen? Quite simply by flu viruses present in nature coming into contact with Tamiflu residues…. “This is a plausible scenario in countries that use this medicine a lot”, explains Professor Björn Olsen of the University of Kalmar (Sweden).
This is the case in Japan – the world’s largest Tamiflu user – where a third of patients with flu take this antiviral drug... even though the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach is widely disputed. In fact, the only real protection against flu is the flu vaccine.
Tamiflu is one of the only antiviral drugs likely to be effective in the event of a human flu pandemic of avian origin. Which says something about the danger of a pandemic flu virus that has developed resistance to it!
It’s true that Relenza (Zanamivir) has also been raised to the ranks of a “potentially effective medicine” against a possible pandemic. But as the journal Revue Prescrire, which looked at this issue pointed out, the effectiveness of Relenza is limited to say the least. “As a curative or preventive treatment, a lowering of the incidence of flu complications has not been proven, while the undesirable effects and appearance of viruses resistant to antivirals does not encourage its use”.
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