About Tamiflu - its manufacturer

Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) is an oral antiviral treatment for influenza, and belongs to a class of medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors (NAI). Tamiflu prevents the influenza virus from spreading inside the body and are designed to be active against all clinically relevant influenza virus strains. It is proven to be effective in the treatment and for the prevention of influenza in adults and in children 1 year and older.

Roche, the manufacturer of Tamiflu since 1996, acquired the worldwide rights to develop and market the drug from Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California.

Comes in the strength of

Tamiflu can be used both for prevention and treatment ofinfluenza. An oral medication, it is a convenient 75mg capsule which affects all key sites in the body where the virus multiplies. The dose for the adult treatment of influenza is a 75mg capsule, taken twice daily for five days. A pack of Tamiflu contains a full treatment course of 10 capsules.

Treatment must commence within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms for full efficacy. For post exposure prophylaxis the dosage is one 75mg capsule daily for up to 6 weeks.

Tamiflu is proven to be effective in adults and in children one year and older.

What is an influenza virus?

Influenza is an acute infectious disease caused by a member of the orthomyxovirus family: influenza virus A and B or, to a much lesser extent, influenza virus C. However, the term 'flu' is often used for any febrile respiratory illness with systemic symptoms that may be caused be a myriad of bacterial or viral agents as well as influenza viruses.

According to the WHO 3-5 million cases of seasonal influenza occur every year.

The influenza virus is classified into three categories: A, B, and C. Type A is the most serious and usually appears every two or three years. Prone to mutation, it regularly produces nonresistant strains; has caused many epidemics; and is also responsible for pandemics, in which entire continents are affected.

Type B influenza virus is the strain responsible for smaller infection outbreaks. Once infected with this virus, the immune system successfully resists this type of virus for many years. This type commonly infects uninfected children aged between 5-14 years.

Type C influenza virus is a very mild strain of the infection, similar to symptoms of a common cold. This can be treated with bed rest and plenty of fluid intake.

How to treat the influenza virus?

The flu targets the respiratory system which is the nose, lungs, throat and the bronchial tubes. During the flu, a patient exhibits some or all of the following symptoms.

• Loss of appetite


• Fever


• Congestion that turns to a runny nose


• Sore throat


• Cough that turns productive


• Exhaustion and weakness


• Muscle aches and pains

It is possible to treat the flu using medication as well as make a rapid recovery using various other means like:

• Keeping fluid intake to the optimum – Flu sufferers lose a lot of fluids from having high fevers. Water, orange juice (vitamin C) and sports drinks like Gatorade help replenish electrolytes.


• Proper sleep – Adequate rest helps in recovery.


• Taking a healthy diet – Nutrition is an important part of recovery.


• Minimal exertion – It is better to stay in bed and recuperate through relaxation..


• Keeping the fever in check – Young children often suffer higher fever during the flu.

Toddlers should be attended to by a pediatrician in the event of a high fever that lasts for a day and for adults a doctor should be consulted when the fever exceeds 103 degrees or lasts longer than two days and is accompanied by significant fatigue or any kind of pain. The elderly and those with diabetes, a weakened immune system, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy beyond the first trimester, lung disease or asthma should call their doctor when flu symptoms arrive.

Tamifludosage is said to deliver a 38% reduction in the severity of symptoms, a 67% reduction in secondary complications such as bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis in otherwise healthy individuals and a 37% reduction in the duration of influenza illness.

Side effects of Tamiflu

The drug Tamiflu is to be given in proper dosages as prescribed by the doctor. Exceeding the dosage limits for any drug can lead to serious side effects. If you should become affected with any of the allergic reactions do not wait for the swelling to subside and go to the nearest emergency room. As with any drug, Tamiflu also has the potential to affect you in the following ways. You may experience:

• Serious allergic reaction


• Difficulty breathing


• Swelling of the tongue or lips


• Constriction of the throat


• Swelling of your face

More serious side effects have also sometimes been reported. While these 'reports were mostly in children,' it is still not known if they were actually caused by taking Tamiflu. According to the FDA, there have been reports (mostly from Japan) of patients causing:

• Self-injury


• Experiencing delirium (confusion, hallucinations, speech problems)

Other than this you may experience less serious side effects like:

• Dizziness


• Nausea


• Vomiting


• Diarrhoea


• Abdominal pains or abdominal cramps


• Sleeplessness (insomnia)


• Fatigue


• Cough


• Other respiratory symptoms

The side effects of Tamiflu, when you are taking other medication are almost none. Though so far no clinical tests have proved that Tamiflu reacts with other medication it would be a good idea to tell your doctor that you are taking other medication when you are being prescribed Tamiflu.