Relenza (zanamivir) must be taken within the first 2 days of symptoms
(preferably as close to the onset of symptoms as possible). It is
inhaled twice a day for 5 days. A prescription is needed.

There's a very interesting article on the flu in Scientific American's
January 1999 issue prior to the approval of Relenza at http://www.sciam.com/1999/0199issue/0199laver.html

Glaxo Wellcome's Relenza site is at http://www.relenza.com/
Prescribing info can be downloaded in a pdf file and is very
interesting. The principal Phase III study, which I think  was in
Europe, included 1588 patients - 91% Caucasian. The North American Phase
II and Phase III studies (600+ patients) plus studies in the 'southern
hemisphere' found 1 - 1.5 days shortening of median time to defined
improvement. This was NOT significant over placebo. As for pregnancy and
breastfeeding, only rats have been studied and no samples of breastmilk
in humans was obtained. It's highly doubtful that any pregnant
or breastfeeding mothers were admitted to the study. The recommendation
on Relenza states that it "...should be used during pregnancy only if
the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus." Their
recommendation on breastfeeding is that "...caution should be exercised
when RELENZA is  administered to a nursing mother."

Info on Roche's Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate), which is taken in pill
form, can be found at http://www.tamiflu.com/ Roche reports that "In
both studies, at the recommended dose of TAMIFLU 75 mg twice daily for 5
days, there was a 1.3 day reduction in the median time to
improvement in influenza-infected subjects receiving TAMIFLU compared to
subjects receiving
placebo." It doesn't state whether this was significant but, since it's
the same time-frame as Relenza, it's likely it wasn't. The same
recommendations regarding pregnancy and breastfeeding are provided.

Worthy of note, Roche points out that this should not displace flu shots
so probably the most beneficial action for breastfeeding mothers would
be to get flu shots.

One thing I do want to mention bugs the #%$@ out of me is listening to
the Relenza ads where people suggest other friends take Relenza because
"it stopped my flu symptoms after only one day." If it did that, it
wasn't the flu and it sure wasn't the Relenza described by the drug companies.

Happy new year, all!!!
Joan

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