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Tamiflu-type flu drugs may not stop flu spread

Respiratory Care Weekly, July 26, 2006

Could neuraminidase inhibitor (NI) antiviral drugs, including oseltamivir (known as Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), help prevent spread in a pandemic or avian (bird) flu scenario? Authors of a review in the current issue of The Cochrane Library aren't so sure. The researchers found that NIs had no effect in preventing flu, but they did relieve flu symptoms effectively. For example, oseltamivir at a dose of 75 mg daily was 61% effective or 73% effective at 150 mg daily; inhaled zanamivir at 10 mg daily was 62% effective.

"Because of their low effectiveness, NIs should not be used in routine seasonal influenza control," the authors write. "This review found that Nls are effective in preventing and treating the symptoms and complications of influenza but do not prevent infection or interrupt voidance of viruses from the nose."

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