Tamiflu Not Only Answer To Bird Flu

Scientists have warned the UK government that Tamiflu is not 100% guaranteed to work and stop the H5N1 bird flu virus in its tracks. The UK government has based a large part of its defence strategy in combating the bird flu virus on the distribution of Tamiflu to doctors, health workers and people who contract the disease.

The scientists told the UK government that they should stop ignoring recent advice to get a second stockpile of another bird flu remedy so to be more ready in the event of a pandemic breaking out in the UK. At present the only stockpile the UK health authorities have is the Tamiflu drug made by Roche.

The worry is that when the pandemic breaks out the flu virus may have changed and transmuted into something different again that will be unable to be beaten by the Tamiflu drug.

The best alternative to Tamiflu is probably Relenza that is different to Tamiflu in that it is present in a spray. It could be that Relenza also is ineffective in the event of a bird flu outbreak but in any case having two different drugs available will improve the chances of one of them being effective. At present Tamiflu is still seen as the more effective drug of the two to beat bird flu.

The Chairman of the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences said that he was worried that the UK government was not taking into consideration expert advice and that possible bad decisions were being made as a result. He carried on to say that the new evidence that the bird flu H5N1 virus could become resistant to Tamiflu meant that it would be sensible to have a number of different anti-virus medication available in the United Kingdom just to be on the safe side and as a healthier course of action if a pandemic broke out.

Professor Davies from the Department of Health did however say that many of the scientists’ recommendations were being dealt with.