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Tamiflu - oseltamivir, the anti-viral drug is neuraminidase inhibitor approved for the treatment of influenza. Tamiflu treats influenza by trapping the influenza virus in cells that are already infected. It is approved for use on children over one year and on adults who have had symptoms for less than two days. Oseltamivir is a medication that decreases the spread of influenza A and B viruses, the viruses responsible for the "flu."
In two statistically significant studies at the recommended dose, there was a 1.3 day (30 percent) reduction in the median time to improvement in patients receiving Tamiflu compared to patients receiving placebo. The most frequently reported adverse events in these studies in patients taking Tamiflu were nausea and vomiting and, to a lesser extent, bronchitis, insomnia, and vertigo. These events were generally mild to moderate and transient. Less than 1 percent of patients discontinued prematurely from clinical trials due to nausea and vomiting.
There is currently no information on oseltamivir overdosage in children. In adults, single doses of up to 1,000 mg produced only nausea and vomiting, without clinically significant changes in vital signs, electrocardiogram readings, or other routine laboratory tests.
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