WHO: Conserve Tamiflu for the high-risk group

Published yesterday by ■ John Louie S. Ramos

The World Health Organization issued a press release Friday saying that the antiviral medicine Tamiflu should only be given to particularly vulnerable people -- the young, the old and the pregnant.

WHO issued the warning specifically against countries such as Britain which gives away the swine flu drug freely. The International health agency previously said that prescribing the drug is the doctor's prerogative adding that those people who catch mild to moderate cases of swine flu don't need to take the drug, however, the young, old, pregnant, and those with underlying health problems surely do. The WHO also warned the possibility that the liberal use of Tamilflu could lead to Tamiflu-resistant viruses -- which were already spotted in several cases in Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Denmark and some parts of the United States.