US and Asia Double Dose of Tamiflu

Doctors from the United States and several Asian countries have agreed to double the dosage of Tamiflu that is administered to patients suffering from the bird flu and other severe cases of non-avian related influenza.

The decision to administer a double dose of Tamiflu to victims of the bird flu is part of clinical trial being conducted by doctors from the United States, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Doctors hope that by prescribing an increased dose of the drug more patients who have contracted the bird flu will survive.

Tamiflu is one of only a few drugs that has been found to be effective against treating the highly contagious avian-flu. However, more than 1 in 2 people who contract the disease die regardless of treatment with Tamiflu,

The announcement of the new clinical trial comes less than a week after Japan suspended the use of Tamiflu to treat youth in the country aged 10-19. Administration of the drug was stopped due to rising concerns that Tamiflu causes severe neuro-psychiatric side-effects. Over 64 cases have been reported in Japan of teens who have been administered the drug committing suicide just hours later.

In one case, a teenage boy left his home during a severe snowstorm with no shoes or coat and threw himself in front of a moving truck. As recent as last month, at least four Japanese youth have attempted to jump to their deaths from high-rise apartment complexes after taking Tamiflu.

Tamiflu manufacturer, Roche Pharmaceuticals, maintains the drug is safe.

In a statement released on Tuesday by Roche, the company cites that clinical studies in the United States and Japan show that the incident of psychiatric problems is not higher in patients being treated with Tamiflu than in the general public. According to Roche, clinical studies have shown similar rates of neurological and psychiatric events in pediatric influenza patients being treated with Tamiflu compared to those receiving no treatment for their influenza.

According to a senior spokesman for Thailand's Ministry of Public Health, "We are concerned about the cases in Japan, but Japan consumes a lot of the total production of Tamiflu (for human flu). If you use a lot, you may have more side effects."

According to the Center for Disease Control, Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. The potential harm for humans occurs when the influenza crosses over to humans have had contact with the infected birds.

Sources: Reuters

Center for Disease Control

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