Roche rules out links between Tamiflu, teenager deaths

[WhiteTara]

They certainly rushed out with this information. The report of the deaths was on the 12th and here on the 14th they have the whole thing figured out.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-11/15/content_3781578.htm
BEIJING, Nov. 15 -- Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) said it would continue to monitor the safety of its anti-flu drug Tamiflu, after reports in Japan of a possible link between the death of two teenagers and the drug.

Roche has reported the possible suicides of two teenage boys to Japanese health authorities but said there was no clear evidence that Tamiflu had contributed to their deaths.

snip although those two incidents were dismissed, this is the biggest downside

Roche said possible adverse events must be considered in the context of the symptoms of influenza, characterized by high fever, which may lead to neurological complications such as convulsions or loss of consciousness as well as respiratory complications which may result in death.

[htuttle]

1. Yes, of course the manufacturer rules it out

Anyone else looking at it?

:shrug:

[Horse with no Name]

2. Is this like the vote that the FDA did

where they allowed the makers of the drugs they wanted to pull off the market cast the deciding votes to leave them on the market?
Is there any government department that can be trusted to care about something other than lining someone's pockets these days?
Rumsfeld would certainly lose alot of cash if Tamiflu was found to kill folks. The risk hardly outweighs the benefit.

[WhiteTara]

3. not that I have found

but I have to say the two incidents sounded sort of flaky. But then I don't know the circumstances surrounding either event.

[Mojorabbit]

4. I think there have

been 64 cases of problems out of ten million doses given. Not to bad considering.

[vonslagle]

5. RRRRR-IGHT!!!!!!!

and vaccines don't cause autism, and Viagra doesn't cause heart attacks.

Now go back to sleep everyone.

(Take a Halcion if you're having difficulty sleeping)

[No Exit]

6. Well, that settles it.

"We're so sorry about your dead children... please pass the quarterly earnings report."

[captain disgruntled]

7. While not meaning to diminish the pain and horror of

the families affected, it just occurred to me to wonder--isn't the use of Tamiflu only indicated in case of active infection with some form of influenza, described as "characterized by high fever, which may lead to neurological complications such as convulsions or loss of consciousness as well as respiratory complications which may result in death"? And if you're not supposed to be taking it except in cases of illness, I gotta ask--what the heck is somebody so sick doing effectively playing in traffic???
I agree that I am hardly inclined to be reassured by Roche's assertions, and I am fatalistically resigned as regards avian flu, but this is a weird tangent to the issue...