330 million for almost useless flu remedy

Germany: 330 million euros for questionable flu remedy

02/15/2015

It has long been known that scientists doubt the efficacy of the flu remedy Tamiflu. In Germany, the drug was long bunkered for a possible pandemic case. Transparency International has now revealed how much money federal and state governments spend on a largely useless remedy.

Drug shortens illness by a maximum of one day
Again „mirror“ reported online, two drugs were stored between 2005 and 2009 in Germany for the possible case of an epidemic of a new influenza virus. It was primarily Tamiflu and partly in addition to Relenza. These medicines should be sufficient in an emergency for 20 percent of the population. The stocking met the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Pandemic Plan. But early on it was known that Tamiflu does not seem to work as the manufacturer Roche claimed. So did researchers in the past year „British Medical Journal“ It was pointed out that the active substance shortened the duration of the disease by a maximum of one day and had no effect on the risk of imminent complications or the probability of hospitalization. However, patients would be at increased risk of side effects such as headaches, kidney problems, nausea and vomiting.

„Enormous loss of taxpayers' money“
Transparency International Deutschland (TI), supported by the German Freedom of Information Society, has now determined the costs that are incurred for the purchase of the drugs. Accordingly, the federal government and the individual states spent a total of 330 million euros in the period from 2002 to 2009 together. At the presentation of the data, Angela Spelsberg of TI said: „Both funds are not suitable for pandemic control.“ She continued: „Uncovering the mishandling of pandemic preparedness in detail and highlighting the huge amount of taxpayers' wasting away is extremely important to the public.“ Already in the first approval by the US Food and Drug Administration was controversial whether Tamiflu in pandemic the right remedy.

Occupy responsible commissions by independent experts
Tamiflu should be immediately removed from the list of essential drugs of the WHO according to requirements of the non-governmental organization. In addition, in the event of a renewed pandemic plan, a scientifically neutral investigation should assess which funds should be stored. The pandemic, which was proclaimed by the WHO in 2009, was carried out by committees, whose members, according to TI „manifold interrelations to drug manufacturers“ exhibited. Therefore, they demand that the responsible commissions at WHO and in the countries be filled with independent experts from now on.

Pandemic plan is currently being revised
Again „mirror“ writes, the pandemic plan is currently being revised by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). It is unclear whether the authority will continue to recommend the state flu fund purchase. In numerous studies, the purchase of Tamiflu was previously criticized. This and the fact that the drug was hardly awarded any benefit in various examinations should influence the decision of the RKI. Of the stored Tamiflu will soon be nothing left anyway. For many of the drugs, the best before date has expired or will soon expire. In some states large batches have already been destroyed. (Ad)