BMJ  2005;331:1041 (5 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7524.1041

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Experts question wisdom of stockpiling oseltamivir

London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Stockpiling supplies of the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for use in the event of a flu epidemic was questioned by experts on both sides of the Atlantic this week.

The UK government's decision to order 14.6 million doses of oseltamivir was questioned by Joe Collier, professor of medicines policy at St George's Hospital Medical School, London, and former editor of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.

"I would like to know what evidence there is that Tamiflu actually alters mortality," he said. "And if it doesn't then what are we doing? What it certainly does is shorten the illness by a day, but the question is—does that matter?"

On the other side of the Atlantic Canada's federal health minister, Ujjal Dosanjh, told listeners to an interview on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio programme ("The Current," 27 Oct) that oseltamivir did not prevent infection with the flu virus and that at . . . [Full text of this article]

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