Link between Tamiflu and abnormal behavior – still confusing?

In 2004, a 17-year old high school student dashed out of his home ran onto an expressway where he was hit by a truck and killed.

In 2005, a 14-year old junior high student jumped to his death from an apartment.

Three factors are common between the two teenage deaths: influenza, Tamiflu, Japan.

Tamiflu, the influenza drug, hit the limelight a few months back when reports surfaced of teenagers hurting or killing themselves after taking the drug. It’s particularly rampant in Japan, where 186 suspicious Tamiflu cases have so far been reported by the health ministry. Earlier this year, the Japanese health ministry said that after consulting with numerous experts, it came to a conclusion that there was a “negative” link between Tamiflu and abnormal behavior. However, when pressed for full disclosure of the documents, the ministry admitted no such written report existed. Smells very suspicious, doesn’t it.

Chugai Pharmaceutical, the importer and distributor of Tamiflu in Japan, filed reports that entertained the possibility of a causal link between Tamiflu and abnormal behavior, including the opinions of two doctors directly involved in well-known Tamiflu cases in 2004 and 2005 mentioned above.

The student “showed the abnormal behavior about two hours after taking (Tamiflu) so that the causal links with it cannot be denied,” the doctor was quoted in the opinion.

Since then, Japanese health ministry seemed to have changed its opinion and issued a warning on Tamiflu labels about the possibility of bizarre behavior in children. Last March 20, Japan prohibited prescribing the drug to young people between 10 and 20 years old.

The USA, Taiwan and South Korea all issued warnings in recent months to watch for signs of bizarre behavior from teenagers and children taking the drug. In fact, South Korea followed Japan and banned prescription of the drug to teenagers as well.

In the Tamiflu website, Roche denies any known contribution of the drug to the bizarre behavior: The reports were primarily among children. The relative contribution of the drug to these events is not known.

Outside of the case reports, there have been no scientific or epidemiologic studies to date that establish the causality of Tamiflu to psychiatric behavior. But when it comes to our health and those of our children, “guilty until proven innocent” is the way to go. Until definitive proof says there is no link, precaution is our protection.

[news source: Japan Times]

This post is in participation of the Science and Health Channel Theme “Mental Health”.

Tags: influenza, Tamiflu, abnormal behavior, health, mental health