Dobson backed NICE ruling on flu drug

The former secretary of state for health, Frank Dobson, has backed the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in its ruling against the novel influenza drug zanamivir (Relenza).

The institute believes that the current evidence from clinical trials by the manufacturer, Glaxo-Wellcome, suggests only a moderate benefit of the drug to otherwise healthy individuals. The drug reduces flu symptoms by about one day, and the costs of achieving this benefit are uncertain. In the absence of clear evidence of its effectiveness in high risk …