Children should not routinely be given flu drugs like Tamiflu since there is no clear evidence they prevent complications and potentially harmful side effects may outweigh any benefits, British researchers said today.
"While morbidity and mortality in the current pandemic remain low, a more conservative strategy might be considered prudent, given the limited data, side effects such as vomiting, and the potential for developing resistant strains of influenza," they said.
Governments around the world have built up stockpiles of Roche's Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza to deal with the current H1N1 swine flu pandemic.
But Matthew Thompson from the University of Oxford and colleagues reported in the British Medical Journalthat while antivirals shortened the duration of flu in children by around a day, they didn't reduce asthma flare-ups or the likelihood of children needing antibiotics.
Tamiflu was also linked to an increased risk of vomiting, which can be serious in children.
The analysis was based on a systematic review of seven previous clinical studies looking at use of Tamiflu and Relenza in seasonal flu outbreaks in children aged one to 12 years.
Mr Thompson told reporters there was no reason to think the conclusions would not also apply to the current relatively mild outbreak of swine flu.
The study found that Tamiflu caused vomiting in some children, which can lead to dehydration and complications. The drug was found to have little or no effect on asthma flare-ups, ear infections or the likelihood of a youngster needing antibiotics.
The Health Service Executive has said Tamiflu should not be used as a preventative treatment against swine flu. It has advised GPs to stop administering Tamiflu as a preventive drug, and said the drug should only be administered to people with severe symptoms or chronic underlying illnesses.
The organisation says it has one million packs of Tamiflu for adults, Tamiflu in a paediatric preparation form to treat 63,000 children, and 70,000 packs of Relenza for adults.
Agencies