Doctors query ability of Tamiflu to stop severe illness

[panzerfaust]

Source: Guardian (UK)

Review published in British Medical Journal accuses flu drug manufacturer Roche of withholding evidence from trials...

Roche, the manufacturer of Tamiflu, has made it impossible for scientists to assess how well the anti-flu drug stockpiled around the globe works by withholding the evidence the company has gained from trials, doctors alleged today .

A major review of what data there is in the public domain has found no evidence Tamiflu can prevent healthy people with flu from suffering complications such as pneumonia.

Tamiflu may shorten the bout of illness by a day or so, the investigators say, but it is impossible to know whether it prevents severe disease because the published data is insufficient. Roche has failed to make some of the studies carried out on the drug publicly available, the scientists say...

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/08/tamiflu-swine-flu-roche

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Likely Roche is withholding the data because ... ah ... because Tamiflu works so well!

Yes, that must be the explanation.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Timely reminder

Tamiflu is being touted as the best way to combat the H1N1 Swine Flu virus which has communities around the world in a pandemic panic, but is there a hidden agenda behind the push? Tamiflu is only one of two readily available anti-viral medications, yet Relenza isn't getting the same cure-it attention.

Could the fact that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has substantial interest in Gilead Sciences, the company that exclusively produces Tamiflu, be part of the reason that Relenza is taking a back seat in the H1N1 Swine Flu treatment plan?

The suggestion of a US government/Tamiflu conflict of interest is not new. It first surfaced in 2005 when then President George W. Bush pushed for and won $7.1 billion in emergency funding to prepare for an influenza pandemic that was not even yet on the horizon.

George W. Bush pushed for the emergency funding to develop a strategy against a Bird Flu type pandemic in the US, more than 14% of which went to one company, Gilead Sciences, producer of Tamiflu. Not so scandalous in and of itself until you learn that prior to becoming Defense Secretary Donald Rumsleld was Chairman of the Board of Gilead Sciences, a post he held from 1997 to 2001.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/tamiflu-scandal-gilead-sciences-donald-rumsfeld-connection

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Smirk." - Rummy (R - Of course)

[McCamy Taylor]

3. Ruummy is an ass...but Tamiflu works if you take it within the first few hours

of developing flu symptoms. I have used it myself. My husband got the H1N1 and so my son and I started Tamiflu the minute we showed symptoms (I had already gotten a prescription filled just in case). Our illness was trivial compared to my husband's. Stopped feeling like the flu within 12 hours.

The problem is who normally has two days warning that they are going to get the flu? It is a good drug for those with medical problems (like asthma) who know they have been exposed. It pretty worthless by day two of the flu.

[kenfrequed]

6. at best

The studies that have been released have stated that it only shortens flu symptoms by about a day and that is only possible if you take it in the first day or so of the symptoms. Honestly as a drug its usefulness is highly questionable when rated against the cost of it.

[Javaman]

4. And Donald, Aspartame, Rumsfeld giggles all the way to the bank. nt

[Crzyrussell]

5. Ah, so the climate

folks aren't the only people hiding data...