Swine Flu Drug 'Less Effective' On Children

Children should not be given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu as it can have a limited effect on reducing swine flu, researchers have said.

The report from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) called upon the Department of Health to have an urgent rethink of its current policy in the H1N1 pandemic.

According to the BMJ anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza rarely prevent complications in children with seasonal flu, but they do carry side effects.

Researchers analysed studies involving children aged between one and 12 taking one of the anti-virals. It found that the drug could cause vomiting, which could lead to dehydration and other complications.

There is also the risk that widespread use of the drugs will mean the flu virus will develop resistance to them.

Adding to this, the drug could have little or no effect on asthma flare-ups, ear infections or the likelihood of a child needing antibiotics.

The University of Oxford team, led by Dr Matthew Thompson carried out the research, which consisted of four trials on the treatment of seasonal flu in 1,766 children and three trials involving the use of antiviral to limit the spread of seasonal flu in 863 children.

"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.

Dr Thompson added: "Our research is finding for most children these antiviral drugs are probably not going to have much of an effect."

A Department of Health spokesman responded to the report: "The BMJ review is based on seasonal flu and not swine flu... the extent which the findings can be applied to the current pandemic is questionable.

"Whilst there is a doubt about how swine flu affects children, we believe a safety-first approach of offering anti-virals to everyone remains a sensible and responsible way forward."

(JM/BMcC)