Tamiflu has 'limited' use for children
Concerns raised that antiviral to treat swine flu has limited effect on children
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Monday, 10, Aug 2009 05:34
The antiviral prescribed for people diagnosed with swine flu has a limited effect on reducing the illness in children.
A report from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found no clear evidence Tamiflu prevents complications in children with seasonal flu.
The authors of the report say while it is difficult to generalise the findings to children in the current flu pandemic, current evidence shows the antivirals have a limited effect.
Children are particularly at risk from flu pandemics, and are the main source of the spread of flu through a household.
Tamiflu, which is linked to increased vomiting in children, could reduce the time they have the condition by a day and a half, but shows there is little or no effect to asthma flare-ups increased ear infections or the likelihood of children needing antibiotics.
However, the authors of the report, led by Dr Matthew Thompson of the University of Oxford, have said the antivirals do contain the spread of flu, concluding 13 people need to be treated to prevent one additional case, reducing transmission by eight per cent.
"While morbidity and mortality in the current pandemic remain low, a more conservative strategy might be considered prudent, given the limited data, side effects such as vomiting, and the potential for developing resistant strains of influenza," the authors said.
Research was carried out on the treatment of flu in 1,766 children.