Tamiflu puts 600,000 at greater risk of a stroke

August 19, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

Warning: A worker at a swine flu emergency centre in England sorts through boxes of tamiflu, which can increase the risk of stroke

www.dailymail.co.uk

GPs have been put on alert over fears that Tamiflu can put some people at greater risk of suffering a stroke.

A Government watchdog is concerned that the anti-swine flu drug can interact with the blood-thinning medication warfarin, which is taken by more than 600,000 people in the UK.

The combination can dangerously thin the blood, putting patients at risk of uncontrolled bleeding which can lead to a stroke.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has already received reports of such cases and has asked health professionals to watch out for more.

Last night an expert warned that the dangers have been increased because people given Tamiflu over the national flu hotline are not being warned properly about the possible warfarin risk.

The MHRA has now received 418 reports of suspected adverse reactions to Tamiflu, including two deaths.

Of these reactions,12 were are due to interactions with warfarin. The number may be small, but the MHRA is sufficiently concerned to place all such reports under ‘close review’.

It is the latest concern to emerge about Tamiflu, the powerful antiviral handed out by the Government to people with swine flu or flu-like symptoms.

Last week, Oxford scientists advised parents not to let children take it because the risks outweighed the benefits.

A recent study found Tamiflu caused side effects such as nausea and nightmares in children.

On Monday it emerged that ministers ignored a warning from their own advisors that handing out Tamiflu widely could do more harm than good, especially as most swine flu victims suffer only mild symptoms.

Health secretary Andy Burnham went ahead with the flu hotline, which lets people get Tamiflu by answering questions from call centre staff who have no medical training. More than 500,000 packs were handed out in the first two weeks.

The concern about warfarin centres on the INR rate, which measures how long it takes the blood to clot. Read full article…