Tamiflu not linked with psychiatric symptoms:Roche
Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said on Tuesday new data from the United States and Japan showed there was no established causal link between neuropsychiatric symptoms and its Tamiflu influenza treatment.
Clinical studies have shown similar rates of neurologic and psychiatric events in pediatric patients being treated with Tamiflu compared to those not taking the drug.
Concerns that Tamiflu—seen as effective against a possible pandemic triggered by bird flu—may induce fatal side effects are growing in Japan after two people who took it fell to their deaths last month.
Roche pointed out that influenza is a serious and sometimes life-threatening disease and in some cases causes delirium, confusion and disorientation.
“Roche is aware that a number of reports have been received in Japan of neuropsychiatric symptoms including delirium, with associated abnormal behavior, and very rare cases of death in patients suffering from influenza who have also been taking the antiviral Tamiflu,” the company said in a statement.
“The Japanese Ministry for Health and Welfare stated that they see no causal relationship between these cases and Tamiflu,” Roche said.
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