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Tamiflu Again Linked to Extreme Adverse Reactions

Tamiflu packet of pills

Three separate families have blamed Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche’s antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) for drug-induced very serious side effects—including a suicide—following administration of Tamiflu to their children during the 2017-2018 influenza season. There have been numerous cases reported in past years indicating a connection between the use of this antiviral drug and similar extreme reactions.

Three Children Fall Victim to Tamiflu’s Effects in 2018

In Indiana, a 16-year-old boy committed suicide within 24 hours of receiving Tamiflu. According to a CBS report, Charlie Harp received a “flu” diagnosis from his doctor with a prescription for Tamiflu. The high school student took two doses before taking his own life in his home.

Charlie’s family claims he was thriving in his classes and active in sports. His parents said he never expressed suicidal thoughts and had no signs of depression. Given the introduction of Tamiflu as the only change in Charlie’s life, his family now worries the drug may be to blame for his suicide.

Roche plans to conduct a thorough investigation1 and declined to comment on Harp’s death but cited a lack of data suggesting a link between antiviral therapy and such events, stating, “These events are also experienced by patients with influenza without Tamiflu administration.”

In Texas, a family is claiming Tamiflu prompted their six-year-old daughter to run away from school and attempt to hurt herself at home by jumping from a two-story window. The family would like to remain anonymous but said they will be filing a report with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).2

In New York, hypersensitivity reactions from Tamiflu may have been the culprit for an eight-year-old girl. She was diagnosed with the flu and prescribed Tamiflu, and died within 24 hours when she experienced trouble breathing.3

Tamiflu Data Show History of Drug-Induced Psychosis

This is not the first time Tamiflu has been blamed for serious psychiatric side effects.

In 2005, the FDA investigated Tamiflu’s potential adverse reactions when dozens of Tamiflu-treated teenagers in Japan reported hallucinations, delirium, confusion and other abnormal behaviors. There were also 12 deaths of Japanese children reported, all after taking the medication.

However, the FDA could not find a causal relationship between Tamiflu and the events. The agency concluded, “increased reports of neuropsychiatric events in Japanese children are most likely related to an increased awareness of influenza-associated encephalopathy, increased access to Tamiflu in that population and a coincident period of intensive monitoring adverse events.”4

In 2015, the Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience journal published a case report detailing a 22-year-old male’s experience after taking 75 mg of Tamiflu twice daily for five days to treat his influenza symptoms. He reported mood swings, suicidal feelings, auditory hallucinations, memory deterioration and insomnia without a history of such mental conditions. The patient was admitted to a closed psychiatry ward and treated with antipsychotic drugs and was fully responsive and recovered quickly, without any lingering psychiatric symptoms during 10 months of follow up.5

Tamiflu Label Highlights Risks

Tamiflu is a neuraminidase inhibitor meant to block the spread of the influenza virus, which also potentially reduces the severity of influenza symptoms. The drug received U.S. approval for Type A and Type B influenza in 1999.

The Tamiflu package insert label lists serious skin/hypersensitivity reactions and neuropsychiatric events in the warning and precaution section and advises patients to monitor for abnormal behavior and allergic-like reactions. The package inserts states, “Patients with influenza, including those receiving Tamiflu, particularly pediatric patients, may be at an increased risk of confusion or abnormal behavior early in their illness.”6


References:
1 Gonzalez G. Family believes medicine Tamiflu may have been factor in Indianapolis teen’s suicide. CBS Jan. 30, 2018.
2 Families raise concern about Tamiflu side effectsCBS Feb. 1, 2018.
3 Celona L, Pagones S and Rosner E. Eight-year-old girl dies day after flu diagnosis. New York Post Feb. 5, 2018.
4 See Footnote 2.
5 Won Jeon S and Han C. Psychiatric Symptoms in a Patient with Influenza A (H1N1) Treated with Oseltamivir (Tamiflu): A Case Report. Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience 2015;13:209-11.
6 U.S. 
Food and Drug Administration. Tamiflu Label. Accessed Feb. 8, 2018.

10 Responses

  1. During the bird flu epidemic in 2005 President George Bush jr. Bought billions of dollars of Tamiflu to stockpile it making Donald Rumsfeld a very rich man as he owned millions in the company that manufactures tamiflu.Children in Japan had epileptic seizures,hallucinations,psychotic behaviors after taking this drug.Tamiflu will reduce your symptoms by half a day but destroy your life.Its all about profit and the brainwashing of us all.This insanity will never stop until the masses wake up.

  2. Mother nature has provided a natural cure for all known pathogens.
    High quality Colostrum is that cure!!
    I have been taking two capsules of very high grade Colostrum every day for about 27 years and not had one day in bed with Flu in 27 years.
    Yet before that went down with a dose of Flu 2 or 3 times every winter, be in bed 2 -3 days, off work for a week and cough for weeks afterwards.
    Mother Nature knows best!!

  3. Thursday night I had a small seizure that woke me from my sleep caused tamiflu (this was confirmed after 4 hours in Er showing perfectly fine EKG and heat xrays).

    For what felt like a lifetime, I felt palpitations in my heart so strongly, my back was glued to the bed. My arms went numb too and I prayed “Jesus Jesus Jesus.

    Finally I got up and began to research, Finding so many other negative reports.

    Never again. Going w my mucinex expectorant now, plenty of water and rest.

  4. I gave it to my kid as a preventative dose since I had a flu. He developed huge awful looking itchy hives and fast heart rate and breathing. He is 21 months. I stopped the Tamiflu as I rather deal with full symptoms than put his life in danger

  5. My 22 year old neice committed suicide 1/21/2019. She was 1st given the medication the previous January (almost to the day). Immediately she reported insomnia, mood swings and quit her junior year in college. She was an honor student. Too young to die this way. I would advise long term observation on anyone that takes it.

  6. 3/3/19 Read the possible side effects but since my 13 year old never experienced anything with other medicines and I had taken it a few years before with no issues, I gave the oral suspension of Tamiflu to him. 3 hours later, he was talking out of his head and started to hyper ventilate. His dad was able to calm him down until paramedics showed up. He checked out ok and late call to doctor changed to no more Tamiflu, just manage fever and keep him hydrated. Praying for no long term side effects from that one dose.

  7. My 9 year old son received two doses 10 hours apart. He developed terrible hives and a sharp headache with eye pain. He keeps poking his eyes two days later. I stopped tamiflu after two doses. It’s deeply troubling wondering about long term impact.

  8. My son ethan recieved a tamiflu shot when he was 3. Within a couple of hours his lips were so swollen they were shiny his mouth and throat were swelling and he was so sleepy we couldn’t get him to wake. Thank god benadryl alone stopped the reaction but it was extremely scary!!

  9. My dad went into anaphylactic shock after taking Tamiflu. The paramedic said that his throat was so swollen, not even a small amount of water would have been able to pass through. He was in a medical-induced coma for a day or two. Thanks to an emergency tracheotomy, CPR after the heart stopping for 7 minutes, and a lengthy hospital stay, we still have him here today. He has permanent vocal chord injuries affecting how loud he can talk (from the tracheotomy) and the road to recovery was hard.

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