WHAT IS TAMIFLU
Tamiflu is for
treating adults, adolescents, and
pediatric patients 1year of age and
older with the flu whose flu symptoms
started within the last day or two.
Tamiflu is also used to reduce the
chance of getting the flu in people age
13 and older who have a higher chance of
getting the flu because they spend time
with someone who has the flu. Tamiflu
can also reduce the chance of getting
the flu if there is a flu outbreak in
the community.
Tamiflu is a drug with generic name of Oseltamivir. It is a drug belonging to the family of antivirals. Anti-virus drugs such as Tamiflu are used to treat diseases that are caused by viruses thus, the name antiviral.
Tamiflu is indicated for the treatment of viral infections especially flu viruses. Tamiflu can treat influenza A and influenza B (Bird Flu).
Tamiflu can also decrease the ailments that occur together with flu such as weakness, headache, cough, fever and sore throat in just the first day of intake.
Tamiflu can also prevent the onset of flu even if you have been exposed to people who have it.
HOW TO TAKE
Take Tamiflu
as exactly directed by your doctor.
Never deviate from your doctor's
instructions on how to take Tamiflu. Tamiflu can
be taken with or without food as it
is not a stomach irritant.
However if Tamiflu is taken with
food, the lesser are the chances of
stomach upsets. Tamiflu can
be taken for a minimum of 5 days and
the taking of Tamiflu should not be
abruptly ceased even if the patient
begins to feel better. The patient
should continue with Tamiflu until
the duration specified by the doctor
as this would help clear out the
infection more efficiently. If you are
using the oral suspension of
Tamiflu, be sure to accurately
measure the exact doses of Tamiflu
through a dose-measuring cup or
spoon to prevent Overdosage. Also
make sure the bottle containing the
Tamiflu suspension is shaken well
before use to disperse and mix the
contents of Tamiflu well. Before you
buy Tamiflu, the expiration dates on
the Tamiflu medicine should also
first be checked before taking it as
taking an expired medicine may do
you more harm than good.
WARNINGS AND
PRECAUTIONS
Before
deciding to take Tamiflu, tell your
doctor if you have known or unknown
allergies to Tamiflu's components as
you may be advised not to take
Tamiflu. Tamiflu has
not been tested on pregnant women
yet but animals studies have shown
that Tamiflu can cause birth defects
on the animals that were tested. If
you are pregnant or planning to
become pregnant, do not take Tamiflu
or buy Tamiflu without first
consulting your doctor. Tamiflu
passes into the breast milk of
nursing mothers and it is fairly
safe to breast feed an infant
provided that you first discuss with
your doctor the risks and odds of
breast feeding. Before
taking Tamiflu, if you have any of
the following medical conditions, it
is best that you first inform your
doctor about it as having them may
affect the effect of Tamiflu on your
body:
MISSED DOSE
The effects of
Tamiflu can only be fully felt when
Tamiflu is continuously taken at a
regular interval. If possible, it should
be ensured that no dose of Tamiflu is
missed. However, if it unavoidable that
a dose of Tamiflu is missed, you should
take the dose you missed as soon as you
remember provided that it is not near
the time for the next dose. Never take
the missed dose of Tamiflu two hours (or
earlier) before the next dose of
Tamiflu. Do not take double doses of
Tamiflu.
POSSIBLE SIDE
EFFECTS
Taking Tamiflu
may entail some unwanted side
effects. The side effects of Tamiflu
may range from mild to severe. These
are the side effects associated with
Tamiflu: Other side
effects of Tamiflu aside from these
may also occur aside from the ones
mentioned above and if you
experience any of these side effects
and if they become intolerable and
bothersome immediately discontinue
use of Tamiflu and ask your doctor
on what to do next.
STORAGE
Store at 25°C (77°F);
excursions permitted to 15 - 30°C (59 -
86°F).
OVERDOSE
Seek emergency
medical attention. Symptoms of a Tamiflu
overdose include difficulty breathing;
shallow, weak breathing; and seizures.
MORE
INFORMATION
Always inform
your doctor of the drugs you are
taking, may they be prescription or
non-prescription drugs. Drugs that
may adversely interact with Tamiflu
are the drugs containing Probenecid.
Combining Tamiflu and drugs
containing Probenecid may result in
higher blood levels for patients
TAIWAN TO VIOLATE TAMIFLU PATENT
LATEST BIRD
FLU NEWS
EU closes ranks against Turkish bird
flu outbreak
This drug
information is for your information
purposes only, it is not intended that
this information covers all uses,
directions, drug interactions,
precautions, or adverse effects of your
medication. This is only general
information, and should not be relied on
for any purpose. It should not be
construed as containing specific
instructions for any particular patient.
We disclaim all responsibility for the
accuracy and reliability of this
information, and/or any consequences
arising from the use of this
information, including damage or adverse
consequences to persons or property,
however such damages or consequences
arise. No warranty, either expressed or
implied, is made in regards to this
information.
The European
Commission has banned all imports of
live birds and feathers from Turkey
into the 25-nation European Union
after Ankara confirmed an outbreak
of the highly contagious avian
influenza.
Bird flu ‘doesn’t apply for a visa
to go travel’
An
international delegation, including
U.S. Health and Human Services
Secretary Michael Leavitt, toured a
chicken coop in Thailand on Tuesday.
The barn had been scrubbed clean of
the bird flu virus plaguing much of
Asia.
Bird flu vaccines no guarantee in
pandemic: WHO
Vaccine
stockpiles may prove useless against
an outbreak of the human form of
bird flu, a UN official warned
Tuesday.
Bird Flu Spreads to Turkey, EU Bans
Imports of Live Turkish Birds
The European
Commission Monday adopted a ban on
all imports of Turkish live birds
and untreated feathers, following
the first confirmed report of the
avian influenza virus in Turkey over
the weekend. Imports of live
poultry, eggs and fresh poultry meat
from Turkey were not allowed in the
European Union before the current
ban was imposed, so no new rules
were needed for these products.
Britain on alert over bird flu signs
The public is
being urged to be vigilant and
report suspicious bird deaths amid
fears of a deadly strain of avian
flu which is feared to be spreading
across Europe. Anyone with concerns
about a bird death is being invited
to call a helpline manned by the
Department for the Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Bird Flu Case Appears in Colombia
The first bird
flu case in Colombia has appeared.
An Agriculture Ministry statement
reported the bird flu has occurred
in three farms in Tolima and
poultries affected from the bird flu
have been put under the quarantine
to prevent the spread of the
illness.
Pigs culled in Tangerang to contain
spread of bird flu
In the
July/August issue of Foreign
Affairs, Laurie Garret, a senior
fellow for global health at the
Council on Foreign Relations,
recounts how in March 1976, the Ford
administration was convinced that
the world was on the verge of an
influenza pandemic. On national
television, President Ford warned
the nation that "unless we take
effective counteractions, there
could be an epidemic of this
dangerous disease next fall and
winter here in the United States."
Avian flu found in frozen duck meat
shipped from China to Japan
The avian flu
virus was found in processed frozen
duck meat shipped for human
consumption from China to Japan two
years ago - another reminder of how
easily the disease can cross borders
and how hard it is to kill, health
officials said Wednesday.
Bird flu pandemic a real danger
The federal
government will spend almost $5
million to speed up development of a
bird flu vaccine for Australia,
Health Minister Tony Abbott said
today. Bird flu, which arrived in
Asia in late 2003, has killed 56
people there and Indonesia confirmed
its first three deaths from the
virus on Wednesday.
Info sought on Indonesian avian flu
cases
The Department
of Health is liaising with the World
Health Organization on avian flu
cases in Indonesia. The department's
Chief Port Health Officer Dr Henry
Kong said it is closely monitoring
the spread of avian flu in the
region following the outbreaks in
Thailand and Vietnam last year.
Possible treatment for avian flu
A drug used to
treat annual flu virus has also been
shown effective against avian
influenza, a lethal disease with the
potential for pandemic. The H5N1
influenza virus is a deadly strain
of the flu virus spread from birds
to humans. Since 2004, it has killed
dozens of people in Cambodia,
Vietnam and Thailand, and scientists
are worried that it might create a
flu epidemic capable of killing
millions across the world.
Ministry plans to inoculate poultry
against avian flu
The Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development
has decided to buy 415 million doses
of vaccine to inoculate poultry
against the deadly bird flu virus,
which has claimed 20 lives in the
country since last December. Dutch
and Chinese vaccines are the two
types allowed to be used in Viet
Nam, according to a newly-approved
plan to vaccinate the country’s
poultry in 2005.
Fed Govt gives flu vaccine $5
million boost
MARK COLVIN:
The Federal Government today
announced a $5 million boost to
efforts to protect Australians
against a possible major flu
outbreak. The Health Minister Tony
Abbott says the funding will be used
to bring forward clinical trials of
a prototype pandemic vaccine to
September, eight months earlier than
planned. Health officials have
welcomed the move, saying the
vaccine will make a big difference
in lessening the impact of a deadly
flu outbreak.
Australia to spend more on bird flu
vaccine development
Australian
Health Minister Tony Abbott Friday
announced that the government will
invest nearly 5 million Australian
dollars (3.8 million US dollars) to
speed up development of a bird flu
vaccine for Australia. The move came
two days after Indonesia confirmed
its first three deaths from the
virus, which has killed more than 50
people in Asia.
Bird flu pandemic a real danger
The federal
government will spend almost $5
million to speed up development of a
bird flu vaccine for Australia,
Health Minister Tony Abbott said
today. Bird flu, which arrived in
Asia in late 2003, has killed 56
people there and Indonesia confirmed
its first three deaths from the
virus on Wednesday.
Flu vaccine production fast tracked
The Federal
Government is fast tracking the
large scale production of vaccines
to protect Australians against a
possible major flu outbreak. The
Government is spending an extra $5
million to bring forward clinical
trials of a vaccine to September,
eight months earlier than planned.
Tender for contract for H5N1 flu
vaccine, UK
The UK
Department of Health today invited
manufacturers to tender for a
contract to supply a limited amount
of H5N1 vaccine. The move is part of
the work to prepare for and reduce
the impact of a possible flu
pandemic.
New cases spark global flu fears
Indonesia’s
first human bird flu case, coupled
with more birds dying elsewhere
including Russia, are signs a
long-dreaded global influenza
pandemic may be approaching, the
World Health Organization (WHO) said
today.
Vigilance against the avian flu
In the
July/August issue of Foreign
Affairs, Laurie Garret, a senior
fellow for global health at the
Council on Foreign Relations,
recounts how in March 1976, the Ford
administration was convinced that
the world was on the verge of an
influenza pandemic.
Mouse studies of oseltamivir show
promise against H5N1 influenza ...
Experiments in
mice show that an antiviral drug
currently used against annual
influenza strains also can suppress
the deadly influenza virus that has
spread from birds to humans, killing
dozens of people in Vietnam,
Cambodia and Thailand since early
2004. This study, the first
published report conducted on
Oseltamivir against the H5N1
influenza strain circulating in
Vietnam, found that the drug, sold
commercially as Tamiflu,
dramatically boosted the survival
rate of infected mice.
Flu pandemic approaching
Experts have
warned that even a "moderate" flu
pandemic could kill millions of
people worldwide, including 200,000
Americans. "This is perhaps the only
time since 1968, which was the last
pandemic, that we are getting signs,
symptoms and warnings from nature,”
explained Margaret Chan, WHO’s new
director for pandemic influenza
preparedness. “More and more birds
are dying in different parts of the
world - this is the kind of signals,
and early warnings that we are
referring to.”
WHO Says Flu Pandemic Likely
Indonesia’s
first human bird flu case, coupled
with more birds dying elsewhere
including Russia, are signs a
long-dreaded global influenza
pandemic may be approaching, the
World Health Organization said on
Friday.
Travel/Medical info: What is Bird
Flu? - Where is it active?
Indonesia
confirmed on Wednesday its first
deaths from bird flu, saying tests
on a father and his two young
daughters who died recently showed
that they had the virus. Health
authorities fear the virus will
mutate and become easily passed
between humans, causing a global
pandemic.
Bird Flu Virus Found in Duck Meat
WHO: Find Shows Vigor of Ailment
The bird flu
virus was found in processed frozen
duck meat shipped for human
consumption from China to Japan two
years ago - another reminder of how
easily the disease can cross borders
and how hard it is to kill, health
officials said Wednesday.
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