US reviewing deaths, mental effects of drug Tamiflu

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. regulators have asked Roche AG
for more information about the deaths of 12 children who took
the flu-fighting drug Tamiflu, saying in a report released on
Thursday that the cause of the deaths was “extremely difficult
to interpret.”

The Food and Drug Administration also said it was
“concerning” that 32 psychiatric events, such as hallucinations
and abnormal behavior, had been reported in children who took
Tamiflu, which is in high demand because it is considered to be
one of the best defenses against avian flu in people.

Most of the reports came from Japan, the FDA said.

Roche, in a separate summary posted on the FDA Web site,
said, “there is no increase in deaths and neuropsychiatric
events in patients on Tamiflu versus influenza patients in
general.”