Is oseltamivir (Tamiflu) safe? Re-examining the Tamiflu 'ado' from Japan

Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research
Etsuji Okamoto

Abstract

Reports that oseltamivir causes abnormal behaviors in influenza patients and, thereby, increases the risk of injuries or death alerted the world. Such reports came almost exclusively from Japan, which consumes more than 75% of the world supply, even before the novel influenza pandemic started. The Japanese government will not revoke its warning issued in March 2007 against the use of oseltamivir in teenagers despite the accumulating evidence that such abnormal behaviors are part of generic symptoms of influenza-like delirium and not attributable to certain drugs. The author analyzes the background of the 'ado' by compiling the various sources of information, some of which have not been readily available to the international audience and explains why Japan is incapable of producing firm evidence to draw a definite conclusion. The author also alarms the potential risk of sudden death related to oseltamivir and foresees how the problem may be solved in the future.

References

Feb 15, 2005·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·Penelope WardRegina Dutkowski
Mar 23, 2007·Nature·Ichiko Fuyuno
Jun 16, 2007·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Simon R J Maxwell
Nov 26, 2008·Drug Safety : an International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience·Stephen TooveyDavid Reddy
Dec 18, 2008·Kansenshōgaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases·Noriaki Tomono, Hiroyuki Shiro
Apr 16, 2009·Epidemiology·Takashi YorifujiToshihide Tsuda
Oct 20, 2009·Lancet·Tom JeffersonChris Del Mar

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Citations

Aug 25, 2011·Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology·Wael M El-Sayed, Mohamed Ali Al-Kahtani
Apr 25, 2012·Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology·Satoko KimuraAkira Haji
Nov 15, 2013·Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses·Masashi Mizuguchi
Sep 1, 2021·BMC Infectious Diseases·Nobuhisa IshiguroUNKNOWN Japan Infection Prevention, Control Conference for National, Public University Hospitals

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