Tamiflu for Children Holds Dosing Pitfalls

Children with chronic health conditions such as asthma or diabetes should be among the first to receive Tamiflu if they come down with the H1N1 2009 influenza. Unfortunately, however, the dosing instructions that come with the liquid form of Tamiflu are very confusing. Researchers alerted their colleagues in the New England journal of Medicine that the instructions on various labels from the manufacturer and the pharmacy do not agree. This could easily lead to dosing errors.
Moreover, there is currently a relative shortage of liquid antiviral medicine. That means a lot of children who can’t swallow pills will be shortchanged. Compounding pharmacists have an opportunity to make liquid medicine for youngsters from readily available Tamiflu capsules. Any parent who needs liquid Tamiflu should ask the pediatrician to write a prescription that can be filled by a compounding pharmacist.
[New England Journal of Medicine, Sept. 23, 2009]
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMc0908840