Along with the flu, the antiviral drug debate returns.

Not only does it appear to be ineffective at preventing flu, but oseltamivir (Tamiflu) also appears to pollute underground water. A Swedish study published in November 2007 in PLoS One * has in fact shown that medicine residues from this antiviral drug are not eliminated by water treatment plants. This means that there is a danger of resistance developing.

How does this happen? Quite simply by flu viruses present in nature coming into contact with Tamiflu residues.

This is the case in Japan – the world’s largest Tamiflu user – where a third of patients with flu take this antiviral drug ... even though the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach is widely disputed. In fact, the only real protection against flu is the flu vaccine.

Tamiflu is one of the only antiviral drugs likely to be effective in the event of a human flu pandemic of avian origin. Which speaks volumes about the danger of a pandemic flu virus that has developed resistance to it! While it’s true that Relenza has also been raised to the ranks of a “potentially effective medicine” against a possible pandemic, several studies have shown that its effectiveness is limited, to say the least.

* Authors:
Jerker Fick, Doctor in Chemistry at Umeå University, Björn Olsen; Professor of Infectious Diseases with the Uppsala University and the University of Kalmar.