Swine Flu Anti-virals and Children

Research has shown that anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza can cause more negative side-effects in children than the symptoms of the disease they are supposed to prevent.

The side-effects can be quite severe resulting in vomiting and dehydration which can result in other complications. But anti-virals only work if administered early during the onset of flu and only shorten the duration of disease by a day. The work in the British Medical Journal did their study on the normal seasonal flu but say that the results of the study could just easily be applied to swine flu.

This evidence flies against the general policy of giving anti-viral drugs to children. The drugs are the first line of defence against swine flu until vaccines become available in September.

But shouldn’t all this have been investigated beforehand? It doesn’t make sense; antiviral drugs have been around for years why haven’t clinical trials established that they are more damaging to children than the symptoms they are supposed to alleviate? Again poor planning and an eagerness to seem as if something is been done is clouding the authorities capacity to make sure everything is alright.

For more information visit:
http://www.swine-flu-facts.org/