Children should not be given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to combat swine flu, Oxford University researchers have said.

They urged the Department of Health to urgently rethink its policy on giving the drugs to youngsters affected by the current flu pandemic.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), warned that Tamiflu can cause vomiting in some children, which can lead to dehydration and the need for hospital treatment.

Some 300,000 people in England, including children and adults, have received courses of Tamiflu through the Government's National Pandemic Flu Service for England.

The researchers said children should not be given the drug if they have a mild form of the illness although they urged parents and GPs to remain vigilant for signs of complications.

Parents of children with a compromised immune system or a condition like cystic fibrosis should discuss the harms and benefits with their GP, they said.

But overall, the researchers said, children who were otherwise healthy could suffer more harm than benefit from taking Tamiflu or another anti-viral, Relenza.

They found the drugs had little or no effect on asthma flare-ups, ear infections or the likelihood of a youngster needing antibiotics. The researchers also found that using anti-virals preventatively had little effect - reducing transmission of flu by 8%. This means 13 children would have to be treated to prevent one additional case of the flu.

However, anti-virals could reduce symptoms by between half a day and one day.

Dr Carl Heneghan, a GP and clinical lecturer at Oxford University, said the current policy of giving Tamiflu for mild illness was an "inappropriate strategy". He added: "The downside of the harms outweigh the one-day reduction in symptomatic benefits."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090810/tuk-swine-flu-drug-can-harm-children-6323e80.html

Deborah Anderson August 17 2009

Doctors have been put on alert for cases of a deadly nerve disease following the introduction of a vaccine for swine flu.

Health chiefs said there was an increased risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome after a flu-like illness but stressed there was no evidence linking it to vaccination.

The syndrome, which affects around 1500 people a year in the UK, attacks the nervous system and can result in temporary paralysis. Its exact cause is unclear but many people affected by it have had a viral or bacterial infection a few weeks earlier.
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Concerns have already been raised that the new vaccine has not been sufficiently tested and that the effects, especially on children, are unknown.

A Health Protection Agency spokesman in England said enhanced surveillance was "routine" when introducing a new vaccine. Letters were sent 600 neurologists last month telling them that they must be on alert for an increase in the brain disorder.

It comes as health officials are preparing to offer swine flu vaccinations to 1.4 million Scots from October. The first phase of the vaccination programme will target all frontline health workers, pregnant women and those in high-risk groups from seasonal flu aged over six months. Anyone sharing a house with someone who suffers chronic disease could also be vaccinated.

And a key focus this week for the government will be to monitor the impact of the H1N1 virus on children as they return to the classroom.

Throughout 13 million people in the UK, including people with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, renal disease or with a compromised immune system will get the jab from October. It is anticipated the normal seasonal flu vaccine may be given at the same time.

The spokesman said: "Guillain-Barre syndrome has long been identified as a potential adverse event that would require enhanced surveillance following the introduction of a pandemic vaccine but there is no evidence to suggest there is an increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome from this vaccine.

"There is robust evidence that no increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome arises from seasonal flu vaccination. Establishing enhanced surveillance on Guillain-Barre syndrome has always been part of our plan because there is an increased risk of this disease after a flu-like illness.

"HPA is working in collaboration with the Association of British Neurologists Surveillance Unit (BNSU) and the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) who will ask clinicians to report each month whether they have seen any cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome."

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The European Medicines Agency has strict processes in place for licensing pandemic vaccines.

"In preparing for a pandemic, appropriate trials to assess safety and the immune responses have been carried out on vaccines very similar to the swine flu vaccine. The vaccines have been shown to have a good safety profile."

Youngsters in Scotland will be closely monitored within schools as they return from their summer break as part of the government's strategy to contain the spread of the disease.

However latest figures show the number of people in Scotland consulting their GP for flu-like symptoms fell slightly for the second week. It dropped from 48.4% to 44.2% for every 100,000 people.

About 3000 people have contracted the H1N1 virus, with 10 currently in hospital. Community samples that have tested positive have fallen to 9.5%.

And today children returning to school for the new term are to learn about the importance of good hand hygiene practice in relation to the current H1N1 outbreak.

The Scottish Government's National Hand Hygiene Campaign pack has being sent to every nursery and primary school.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2525761.0.GPs_on_alert_for_rare_nerve_disorder_after_swine_flu_jabs.php