Tamiflu has ‘limited’ use for children

The antiviral prescribed for people diagnosed with swine flu has a limited effect on reducing the illness in children, it has been claimed.

A report from the British Medical Journal found no clear evidence that Tamiflu prevents complications in children with seasonal flu.

The authors say that while it is difficult to generalise the findings to children in the current flu pandemic, current evidence shows the antivirals have a limited effect.

Tamiflu, which is linked to increased vomiting in children, could reduce the time they have the condition by a day and a half, the report showed.

However Dr Matthew Thompson of the University of Oxford, a researcher involved in the paper, said: “A more conservative strategy might be considered prudent, given the limited data, side effects such as vomiting and the potential for developing resistant strains of influenza.”

Research was carried out on the treatment of flu in 1,766 children.