WARNING ON TAMIFLU ....!!!!!!!

What"s behind warning on bird flu drug Tamiflu?

The Japanese government has ordered the importer of the bird flu drug Tamiflu to warn doctors against giving it to teenagers,the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

Here are some key facts on Tamiflu and why war about its use have been called for ;
Side Effects ?

* According to Japan"s health Ministry,54 people have died after taking swiss drug makers Roche's anti viral flu drug Tamiflu.Two young people who took it fell to their deaths in february 2007 in suspected suicides and two others were injured in similar incidents.

* The drug's possible side affects first came to light in japan 2005,after 12 children died and 32 experienced abnormal behavior after taking it.

*Japan''s warning will recommend the drug is not prescribed to minors over the age of 10,unless a case is judged high risk.


US,Canada,and Japan ask for warnings:

* In early November 2006,US regulators announced Tamiflu would come with a new caution urging close monitoring of the patients for abnormal behavior,based on more then 100 international reports of side-efffects such as hallucinations,panic attacks,convulsions and self-harm.

* Later the same month,Health Canada also asked Roche to include a warning on Tamiflu's possible health risks.


What's special about Tamiflu use in Japan?

* Most reported cases of potentially Tamiflu-related psychiatric problem 950f the 103 cases the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) cited last year were recorded in japan.They included suicides and involved children.

Japan is the world's heaviest user of Tamiflu.according to Roche.During the 2004/2005 influenza season,Roche estimates around six million of 16 million people infected with flu took the drug.


Roche denies the drug causes psychiatric symptoms:

* Roche said on March 20,2007,that new data showed there is no established causal link between neuropsychiatric symptoms and Tamiflu,which it estimates has been used by more than 42 million people since 1999.


History of its development :

* Roche Holding AG acquired world wid right to develop and market the antiviral medicine in 1996;and holds the patent for Tamiflu until 2016.

* Tamiflu was launched in the US,canada and Switzerland in 1999/2000,in japan 2001,and all key European markets by 2002/2003.


Global stockpiles :

* Stockpiled in 75 countries on WHO recommendation,it is seen as the key treatment against a possible pandemic triggered by bird flu.

* Current supplies of Tamiflu and flu vaccine production capacity would,however,be in adequate to meet world demand in pandemic; and doses are mainly based in
rich countries.


Projected 2007 sales :

* World wide,Roche expects that sales of Tamiflu to governments building stockpilles in case of pandemic will be lower this year than last;at between 0.6 billion swiss and 1.2 billion francs.Reuters,The Daily Star,kuwait,22-march-2007.