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Who gets the medicines against swine flu |
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The
outbreak of swine flu appears today to be a comparatively mild strain;
it is not to be denied that the virus seems astonishingly hardy and
that it has infected thousands in dozens of countries. But experts take
into consideration the fact that mutations could take place that could
make the virus not only hardy, but also decidedly virulent. In
particular, it is feared that the swine flu could combine with seasonal
winter flu that is resistant to traditional antiviral therapy. In such
a case government's need to formulate a strategy on who gets antiviral
medicine in the event that things blow up into a full epidemic.
The WHO is of opinion that governments across the world should hold on
to their antiviral drug stocks for patients who seem to be most at
risk. The CDC in the USA has established a policy of letting pregnant
women ahead of the line to be given first preference in antiviral
therapy, even as the results of its administration in pregnant women
has not been completely understood.
European countries have apparently been handing out drugs like Tamiflu
much more freely than North America. Their philosophy is that
aggressively tackling the disease before it even begins to establish
itsel, is the best way to make sure it does not take root. In contrast
the
WHO is of the opinion that antiviral drugs should be reserved for
people who are gravely suffering and have other complications, heart
disease, asthma, pregnancy or anything else.
It is known at this point that women who are pregnant suffer from an
ineffective immune system; this places the mother and the fetus at
great risk. There are several instances in the US of pregnant women
contracting swine flu with very troublesome complications resulting.
While the effects of the medicines on unborn fetuses are not fully
understood, it seems to be clear that the effects of the virus are far
more undesirable than any effects the drugs may have.
Mexico has taken a page out of Europe's book and hands out antiviral
medicines to anyone who has at any time been in contact with an
infected person. Authorities also plan to hand out medicines to all
children and schools who seem to be demonstrating symptoms of swine
flu.
Countries around the world at this time are focused on building up
their reserves of swine flu antivirals such as Tamiflu. The Swiss
drugmaker Roche has stepped in donating millions of courses of Tamiflu
to the WHO. It is also putting out plenty of supplies for other
countries. The only thing that remains to be done is for countries to
rationalize their policies on how best to use the supplies they
have.
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