Swine influenza

[fredv3b]

One thing that gets me is our government say they have enough anti-virul doses to cover around three quarters of the population and yet swine flu is supposed to be a new strain. So how can they already have the anti-virul doses??

Because it is an antiviral medicine not a vaccine. Vaccines work by 'priming' the immune system so it is prepared for the virus (in the same way that those who have caught it and then recovered are prepared to meet it again). The virus is constantly mutating to try to be able to infect such individuals (otherwise it would run out of 'victims'), a new strain is essentially a new major mutation. Antiviral medications on the other hand work in an entirely different way, they directly inhibit the virus's ability to 'do its thing' hence they are effective against a much wider group of viruses than a vaccine.

Because it is bull... they are passing out, well come countries/docs, a very dangerous medication which is unproven to do anything... there are hypothesis and monies to be made.

Do you mind explaining why these are 'very dangerous' medications, and why many governments around the world have spent a lot of money stock-piling these 'very dangerous' medications? In the UK, at least, no new medication gets a licence to be marketed or sold without being proven to be, at least, partially effective and its dangers being judged to outweigh its benefits. (Although I admit they are not proven the be effective against 'swine flu' or any other new strains, but by the time they were it would be too late for that information to be of much use.)

[fjp999]

Do you mind explaining why these are 'very dangerous' medications, and why many governments around the world have spent a lot of money stock-piling these 'very dangerous' medications? In the UK, at least, no new medication gets a licence to be marketed or sold without being proven to be, at least, partially effective and its dangers being judged to outweigh its benefits. (Although I admit they are not proven the be effective against 'swine flu' or any other new strains, but by the time they were it would be too late for that information to be of much use.)

[COLOR="Purple"]Sorry, just noticed a tiny misspelling. "ccome countries/docs" should read "some countries/docs"

Ribavirin is being passed out in some cases. The manufacturer has long sought approval for this med for the flu. It has shown its effectiveness in mice but not humans.

I cannot find the exact page where I found the info that it was being used currently, the google searches are updating so quickly...

Using "swine flu Ribavirin" brings up a ton of hits...

Swine flu: what do CFR, virulence and mortality rate mean? : Effect Measure

Ball State Daily News

the first discusses some of the horrors of Ribavirin and I did find one article that has a recommendation from the CDC for Ribavirin.

This Ribavirin is one of the meds that disabled me.[/COLOR]

[fjp999]

my hospital entrances

[Star Twister]

Thanks Fred and Frank

[fredv3b]

Frank,

Thanks for your reply. I had not heard of Ribavirin actually being used against the 'flu. Certainly the great majority of the world is sticking with oseltamivir and zanamivir. Both of which have been shown to be effective against the 'flu in humans.