MHD of influenza resources in MV exceeded

Flu emergency drugs in MV expired: still effective

02/11/2013

For most of the flu emergency medications in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the expiration date has expired. Nevertheless, they could continue to be used.

Expired medicines can be used
In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the shelf-life has expired for a large proportion of the available flu emergency medications for 342,000 patients. However, a spokesman for the Ministry of Social Affairs told the dpa news agency on Friday that the drugs could still be used. Tests of the active ingredients would have shown this.

Expiration date February 2011
Of the therapy units, the amount needed to treat a patient, only 22,000 units would be destroyed by the end of February 2011 expiration date. According to the spokesman, the medications could be used for up to five years longer, provided that regular testing of the active ingredients is taking place.

In Berlin all emergency medications expired
The flu emergency medications are, as in other states, held in the event of widespread spread of the flu. In the event of a pandemic, they should reach 20 percent of the population. In Berlin, even all of the 680,000 stored drugs have expired. Tests on behalf of the Robert Koch Institute, however, showed that they could continue to be used.

Flu vaccine recommended for certain groups of people
Even though the pros and cons of influenza vaccination need to be weighed up, October and November are the best time to prevent it. But in the case of an imminent epidemic vaccination at any other season is possible. A vaccine is recommended especially for the so-called risk groups. These are people over 60 years, chronically ill people, pregnant women and medical staff. (Ad)