AN ANOTHER InFlUeNzA- swine

On April 26, the Acting Secretary of HHS declared a public health emergency related to the current outbreak of "swine flu" (now designated "novel 2009 H1N1"). In response to this public health emergency, the CDC requested Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the use of Tamiflu and Relenza for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza for broader populations than are currently included in the product labeling, including pediatric populations, and others who fall outside of the indicated uses.

Influenza viruses cause serious, sometimes fatal, disease in immunocompromised patients, including HIV infected infants, toddlers, and young children.

Currently, Relenza is approved to treat acute uncomplicated illnesses due to influenza in adults and children 7 years and older who have been symptomatic for less than two days, and for the prevention of influenza in adults and children 5 years and older. Tamiflu is approved for the treatment and prevention of influenza in patients 1 year and older.

The EUAs allow for Tamiflu also to be used to treat and prevent influenza in children under 1 year, and to provide alternative dosing recommendations for children older than 1 year. In addition, under the EUAs, both medications may be distributed to large segments of the population without complying with the label requirements otherwise applicable to dispensed drugs, and accompanied by written information pertaining to the emergency use. They may also be distributed by a broader range of health care workers, including some public health officials and volunteers, in accordance with applicable state and local laws and/or public health emergency responses.

These temporary extensions of the indication, which will terminate when the emergency no longer exists, are summarized below:
1. Use of Tamiflu for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza in infants <>


The Tamiflu Oral Suspension bottle comes with a dispenser marked for 30, 45, or 60 mg. For children who weigh more than 40 kg (or 88 lbs) or adults who can’t swallow capsules, you will need to measure out a dose of 30 mg plus another dose of 45 mg. For infants less than 1 year old, a different measuring device must be used that will dispense 2 mL (about 25 mg), 1.6 mL (about 20 mg) or 1 mL (12 mg).

Doses for prevention of the novel 2009 H1N1 are the same for each weight group, but doses are administered only once per day rather than twice. Prevention dosages should be taken for 10 days following close contact with an infected person or during a community outbreak.

2. Use of Tamiflu and Relenza in patients not included in the current labeling. These drugs are currently indicated for use in patients with acute, uncomplicated influenza who have had symptoms for <>
More detailed information about Influenza Antiviral Drugs is available on the FDA web site at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/antivirals/influenza/default.htm

The TAMIFLU® FACT SHEET FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS contains information specific to the expanded pediatric dosing recommendations for Tamiflu.

NOTE: 75mg once daily for 10 days is the prophylactic dose of Tamiflu, for adults,recommended by USFDA for Swine flu.

Richard Klein
Office of Special Health Issues
Food and Drug Administration

Kimberly Struble
Division of Antiviral Drug Products
Food and Drug Administration

World Intellectual Property Day 2009 – Green Innovation

Human activity, including decades of technological development, has damaged our planet. Wide-spread pollution and spiraling consumption of the world’s mineral and biological reserves have put unprecedented stress on the environment. Climate change is one of the greatest threats ever faced by society: glaciers are disappearing; desertification is increasing; in Africa alone, between 75 and 250 million people will face increased water shortages by 2020.

As human activity caused the problem, so too can human activity find the solutions.

Green innovation – the development and diffusion of technological means to tackle climate change – is key to halting the depletion of the earth’s resources. New plant varieties are being developed to withstand drought and flooding. New environmentally friendly materials will help us construct a more sustainable world.

On World IP Day 2009, the World Intellectual Property Organization highlights the contribution of a balanced intellectual property system to stimulating the creation, diffusion and application of clean technologies; to promoting green design, aimed at creating products that are eco-friendly from conception to disposal; to green branding, helping consumers make informed choices and giving companies a competitive edge.

The power of human ingenuity is our best hope for restoring the delicate balance between ourselves and our environment. It is our greatest asset in finding solutions to this global challenge, enabling us to move forward from the carbon-based, grey technologies of the past to the carbon-neutral, green innovation of the future.