New study challenges the effectiveness and safety of Tamiflu

Tamiflu, the most popular medicine usually prescribed for preventing infections of influenza from one to others and also used as an alternative treatment for preventing Swineflu infection, has come under controversy after publishing a critical analysis report in a highly reputed magazine on 18 January 2012.

The report published in Cochrane Library, a collection of databases that scrutinizes and publishes high-quality researches and health information, has raised concerns of the medical practitioners, researchers and governments of the world about the real effect of Tamiflu medicine, the brand name of the oseltamivir drug.

According to a landmark report, there was no clear evidence found by health researchers about the effect of Tamiflu in preventing infections and treating influenza. The report has also raised questions about the given facts of Roche, the drug manufacturing companies about the medicine and health regulators of United States and Britain who were known about the facts.

Tom Jefferson, the lead author of Cochrane Library and Rome based independent epidemiologist has stated, 'Why the health regulators in US, Britain and elsewhere have ignored the facts despite being the potential drawbacks of medicine and have not taken any action so far?'

Cochrane's review authors' claim was based on the 3,200 pages of information provided by Roche to Cochrane to conduct the evaluation of the medicines.

Cochrane has also asked to health regulators to demand access to the unpublished data in order to get the full picture on whether Tamiflu works and is safe.

After examining thousands of pages of research, including previously unpublished data, into the safety and efficacy of Tamiflu, the research team found that there was no explanation whether Tamiflu reduces the symptoms of the flu or the exact mechanism about how it occurs.

The research team pointed out that it is possible that Tamiflu affects the antibody production. However, Roche has continuously denied this fact so far.

'This is serious because in order for vaccines to work, they must elicit an antibody response. Moreover, there is no clear evidence showing that Tamiflu can reduce the transmission of the virus or complications resulting from infection,' the report stated.

As of now, the entire world is pilling the drug to prevent the epidemic of influenza and treating Swine-flu diseases.

With Agencies Input