Tamiflu available on Friday, only with symptoms

MEDIA RELEASE

29 April 2008

Tamiflu available from your pharmacist on Friday, but only if you have symptoms

Patients who present with clear signs of influenza will be able to purchase Tamiflu without a prescription from their local community pharmacist from this Friday May 1. However, the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand is reminding the public that pharmacists can only sell Tamiflu to patients who display symptoms of influenza and cannot sell it to patients who are concerned that they may develop influenza.

The symptoms of influenza may include: a sore throat, coughing, fever, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue, and diarrhoea and vomiting in some cases. The pharmacist will assess the patient’s condition according to these symptoms and determine whether Tamiflu is appropriate.

“We expect that pharmacists will be inundated with requests from the public about this medicine given the current concern about the H1N1 influenza virus. This is understandable, but there are clear restrictions under which Tamiflu can be sold – for the safety of the patient the pharmacist must abide by these conditions,” says Annabel Young, Chief Executive of the Pharmacy Guild.

Tamiflu is an anti-viral medicine that is used to reduce the symptoms and severity of influenza. During the influenza season, May to September, Tamiflu can be sold over-the-counter by a pharmacist.

“Most pharmacists have decent amounts of Tamiflu in stock and will be able to dispense it to patients where it is appropriate,” says Annabel.

ENDS

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