Indonesia continues use of Tamiflu

Japan had asked the branch office of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, the producer of Tamiflu, to issue a warning on its use by youths, after 18 suicides were linked to the drug. South Korea had also asked doctors to be careful in prescribing Tamiflu.

“We will not change our policy in this regard,” said I Nyoman Kandun, director general for contagious diseases at the health ministry. He explained that Tamiflu was only available to the public at community health centres and hospitals and it could be taken only with a doctor’s prescription.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari had earlier said the restrictions were in place because the drug had to be applied with great caution as excessive use was believed to make the virus resistant to the drug.