On October 25, 2009 President Obama declared a national emergency because of the growing Swine flu (H1N1) pandemic. In a recent article written by CNN Health they stated that since the H1N1 flu pandemic began in April, millions of people in the United States have been infected, at least 20,000 have been hospitalized and more than 1,000 have died. These numbers were provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.org). The H1N1 vaccine is slowly becoming available in the United States, and just today it was announced that Canada has kicked off H1N1 vaccination across the nation. Even though the FDA fast tracked the development of the H1N1 vaccine, it has failed to reach us in time. People have already been infected with swine flu this year and are currently being treated with one of the only drugs know to help protect against progression of H1N1 infection, Tamiflu.
Unfortunately, a Tamiflu shortage has prevented some children from receiving this medication which prevents progression of the H1N1 disease. Roche Pharmaceuticals, has been unable to produce enough Tamiflu Suspension to meet the growing demand. This poses a serious threat to children who are unable to swallow a capsule. furthermore, even if the child is able to swallow Tamiflu capsules the dose far exceeds their requirements, which could lead to an overdose. Pharmacies and pharmacist across the nation have creatively reformulated adult Tamiflu capsules into a children's Tamiflu Suspension. There is an interesting article about it on ABC's Omaha website.
Fusion Rx is one of the few pharmacies that is properly trained and equipped with the material necessary to produce Tamiflu Suspension. As a member of the Pharmacy Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) our pharmacy can provide your child with the appropriate dose and dosage form your child requires.
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