An Introduction to Tamiflu
Tamiflu
® (
oseltamivir phosphate) is a prescription medication used for the prevention or treatment of
the flu. It is licensed for adults and children 1 year of age and older. The medication is not a
flu vaccine, nor should it be used in place of a yearly flu vaccination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of Tamiflu for infants under one year of age only for the 2009-2010 H1N1 flu season.
It is manufactured by Roche Pharmaceuticals.
Tamiflu has been licensed for two uses:
- Treatment of influenza (the virus that causes the flu)
- Prevention of influenza.
For Tamiflu to treat the flu, it must be taken within one to two days of the start of
flu symptoms. For prevention, it must also be started as soon as possible after exposure.
Tamiflu has not been shown to be effective against other types of viruses, including viruses that cause the
stomach flu or
common cold. It is actively being studied to learn how effective it is at treating
bird flu (
avian flu).
The medication works by attacking the
flu virus inside the body, thus preventing it from spreading. This is different from other
flu medicines, which just treat symptoms of the flu.
Tamiflu is part of a class of drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors. Neuraminidase (an enzyme found on the flu virus) allows the flu virus to spread. By blocking this enzyme, Tamiflu limits the virus's ability to spread.
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