MOH to study negative findings on Tamiflu

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it will study the recent findings released by scientists from the Cochrane Collaboration, which found that Tamiflu and Relenza — antiviral drugs stockpiled by governments to tame influenza outbreaks — are unproven against preventing pandemics and may cause more harm in some patients than good.

In response to media queries, the MOH said yesterday that it had built up a national stockpile of antiviral drugs, including Tamiflu and Relenza, which forms part of Singapore’s national preparedness against influenza pandemics.

The move is also based on recommendations of international health organisations, including the World Health Organization.

“At the beginning of an influenza pandemic, these drugs are the only specific form of treatment for influenza,” the MOH said.

“Pandemic vaccines to prevent infection will usually only be available four to six months after the pandemic begins, following which the need for antiviral treatment would diminish.”

Researchers from Cochrane, a United Kingdom-based non-profit research organisation, had reviewed 170,000 pages of clinical-trial data and their findings were published on Thursday in the journal BMJ.

They said governments that stockpile Tamiflu — which was widely prescribed during the swine flu outbreak in 2009 — are wasting billions of dollars on a drug whose effectiveness is in doubt.

WITH AGENCIES REPORTS