Are Prescribers avoiding writing RXs for Tamiflu in your area for patients testing positive....

[BF7]

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I'm seeing this in DFW and it's based largely upon this study that was published in April of 2014....however in West Texas, Prescriber's are in fact writing for Tamiflu. I'm asking for your professional opinion on whether you feel it should be prescribed as well as what you are seeing in your market as compared to last Flu season.Is anyone aware of an algorithm that would be considered the holy grail for treating Flu in 2014?

thanks...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedh...ctiveness-of-tamiflu-and-relenza-questioned-/

"The systematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration covered the benefits and damage of the drugs in both adults and children. It took into account new data that had previously been kept confidential by the drugs’ manufacturers: Roche (which manufactures Tamiflu) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) (which manufactures Relenza).

It found that both drugs shorten the symptoms of influenza-like illness by about half a day in adults (but not in asthmatic children), compared to a placebo. There was no reliable evidence that either drug reduces the risk of people with flu being admitted to hospital or developing serious complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis or ear infection. Used as a preventative measure, Tamiflu and Relenza slightly reduced the risk of developing the symptoms of flu. The review also found no evidence that these drugs can stop people carrying the influenza virus and spreading it to others.

The study also found that Tamiflu slightly increases the risk of adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, psychiatric and kidney problems in adults, and vomiting in children."

 

[Dr Wario]

Tamiflu is a worthless drug for patients, but a wonderful drug for corporations.

 

[PharmerC]

I believe the CDC is strongly recommending the use of neuramidase inhibitors this year specifically due to the influenza strain undergoing antigenic drift, with only about 48% of the H3N2 strains collected thus far from OCT-NOV of 2014 similar to those used in the vaccine.

 

[ExpressMaiL]

I got the vaccine but still caught the flu; worst flu my entire life. Whatever's floating around is nasty.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Hard to tell, we haven't seen much flu yet in my area, maybe a few cases. Tamiflu seems to be being prescribed about the same levels, but its hard to say since the flu hasn't hit full force yet. I think Tamilfu is pretty expensive considering the minimal benefit it provides.