What are the side effects of antiviral drugs in children with H1N1 flu or other types of flu?
Reported side effects of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are nausea and vomiting. Among children treated with oseltamivir in clinical studies, 14 percent had vomiting, compared with 8.5 percent of children given a “placebo.” A placebo is an inactive substance that looks the same as, and is given in the same way as a drug in a clinical trial. Nausea and vomiting might be less severe if oseltamivir is taken with food. Also, there have been reports of self-injury or delirium among persons with influenza (flu) who take oseltamivir. Most of these reports have been in teenagers from Japan. It’s still not certain whether oseltamivir or the flu virus was responsible for these behavior changes. Side effects from zanamivir (Relenza) have been reported in fewer than 5 percent of people participating in clinical trials. This is the same rate for people receiving a placebo. Reported side effects are diarrhea, nausea, sinusitis, nasal signs and symptoms, bronchitis, cough, headache, dizziness, and ear, nose,
