Research questions stockpiling of bird flu drugs
Updated
A paper just published in Nature online has found that a mutation of the avian influenza virus is resistent to the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu.
Presenter: David Mark
Speaker: Dr Alan Hay is the Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre
DAVID MARK: Dr Alan Hay is the director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre at the National Centre for Medical Research in the UK, and the co-author of a report published today in Nature.
The team examined the most common mutation of the H5N1 bird flu virus - one that has emerged in a human form of influenza, known as H1N1, and is widely circulated.
ALAN HAY: The mutations cause resistance to Tamiflu but not Relenza.
DAVID MARK: Tamiflu and Relenza are the two drugs commonly stockpiled to combat bird flu and other influenza viruses, and Dr Hay says the fact that Tamiflu is worthless against the mutation is a real worry.
ALAN HAY: These viruses can emerge and transmit readily from one person to another, and so quite clearly this mutation does not hamper those viruses, the current viruses, at all, and so this is causing some real concern.
DAVID MARK: Australia has a stockpile of both antiviral drugs but it's heavily weighted in favour of Tamiflu.
The country has 6.9-million courses of that drug as opposed to 1.8-million courses of Relenza.
Dr Hay says his research should provide food for thought for governments as they stockpile both drugs against a possible bird flu epidemic.
ALAN HAY: It's quite clear that these, there is greater potential for these resistant viruses, Tamiflu-resistant viruses to emerge than was previously thought.
DAVID MARK: And what implications does that have in terms of stockpiling these drugs - Tamiflu and the other drug which you found the virus doesn't have resistance against, Relenza?
ALAN HAY: Well it certainly emphasises greatly that relying on a single drug is somewhat foolhardy when there are more than one drug available, and certainly when these drugs are complementary in terms of one being effective against the viruses that are resistant to another drug.
DAVID MARK: Are there implications in your work that suggest that it might be worth investing more money in stockpiles of Relenza?
ALAN HAY: Well that's one implication of this work.
DAVID MARK: Perhaps policy makers might consider altering the balance of the drugs that they stockpile?
ALAN HAY: Yes, they might well, yes.
