Tamiflu^®Causes Side Effects in Over 50% of Children

by Heidi Stevenson

8 August 2009

An April through May 2009 study of oseltamivir⁽¹⁾—the generic name of Tamiflu®—showed that more than half the children taking it suffered from gastrointestinal or neuropsychiatric problems. Of these, 40% reported gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, and 18% reported neurological problems, such as strange behavior, severe nightmares, and poor concentration.

The UK has made Tamiflu an over the counter drug; it's available without a doctor's prescription. One must wonder how much control Big Pharma now has over NICE. Its approval of Tamiflu for prescription use, except in the most extreme instances, was questionable in the first place. Tamiflu provides, at most, a single day's symptom relief from influenza. The known risks of this drug are extreme, including:

• Abnormal liver tests and hepatitis
• Anaphylaxis
As significant as the Eurosurveillance study's report is, how much worse might it have been if the children involved had already contracted influenza?
• Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
• Impaired thinking
• Pneumonia
• Toxic epidermal necrosis (skin death)
• Seizures
• Vertigo
• Diabetes
• Vertigo
• Hallucinations

The most common side effects are nausea and vomiting, with abdominal pain and cramps, bronchitis, cough, diarrhea, dizziness, headaches, and insomnic less frequent.

Granted, those in the list are considered rare effects, but for a disease that is usually minor—as is the case with influenza—and for minimal improvement in symptoms, how could NICE have ever approved such a drug for even routine use, let alone making it available—and even encouraging its use—in children?

The London study was not extensive, with 103 responses (40%) out of 256 children. Of the 40% who responded, 43 (41.7%) were in primary school and 60 (58.3%) in secondary schools. Let your pointer hover over the image on the left to see a graph of the adverse effects. (Graph from study published in Eurosurvellance.)

The Times reported back in 2007 that at least 18 Japanese children had committed suicide as a result of taking Tamiflu, resulting in their Ministry of Health warning that it should not be taken between the ages of 10 and 19. Of course, such incidents are rare—but how many parents, knowing of the risk of suicide from taking a drug for an illness that usually passes without continuing problems, would give such a drug to their children?

The More Serious Risk

The Eurosurvellance study was done during the "containment" phase, when no incidents of influenza had been reported in the subject group, rather during a time of attempt to prevent its spread. These symptoms were noted in healthy children.

Would the results have been worse in children who were already ill from influenza? The body's defenses are weaker during illness. As significant as the Eurosurveillance study's report is, how much worse might it have been if the children involved had already contracted influenza?

One must wonder what actually motivates NICE. Is their interest the welfare of British citizens, or is it the welfare of Big Pharma's bottom line? In the case of Tamiflu, a drug with minimal benefit and known severe risks, it is difficult to believe that Britain's citizens are its primary concern.