New Anti Flu Pills: Tamiflu and Relenza

It was at the turn of this century that new anti flu pills like Tamiflu and Relenza were formulated. They were effective against both the type "A" and the type "B" influenza causing viruses. They belonged to a separate class of medicines called the neuraminidase inhibitors. Tamiflu contained the drug Oseltamivir and Relenza was made of Zanamivir. Both these anti flu pills worked in a similar way. They too could stop the particles of the virus from being released in to the human cells. This limited the spread of the infection.

Tamiflu is an anti-viral drug that is prescribed for the treatment as well as prevention of flu. It's available only on a prescription from a doctor. Tamiflu is available in all licensed pharmacies in most countries of the world.

Tamiflu has been extensively used for the treatment of various types of flu infections, which include bird flu and the currently raging swine flu. During the bird flu and the swine flu pandemic, the requirement for Tamiflu went up to an extent where the demand for the drug exceeded its production. It went out of stock in many countries, although it was stockpiled in advance by many governments worldwide to deal with the emergency conditions that were created because of the pandemic.

The anti flu pill Tamiflu comes in the form of a capsule, a yellow grey capsule with 75 milligram of the drug encompassed in it. There is another form also in which Tamiflu s supplied, it is the suspension form. This suspension form is for children. They are given the medication as per their weight. For a child weighing less than 33 pounds he / she are given 30 milligrams of  Tamiflu.

Relenza is a drug that required an inhaler to take this anti flu treatment. Relenza is directly inhaled into the lungs. This drug was approved by the FDA at around the same time Tamiflu was approved. However, people who suffered from asthma and other respiratory related diseases faced fatalities after inhaling Relenza. Experts in the field have weighed the options against the risk involved when taking this inhalation prescription drug. They have justified the risk involved against the risk of infection.

Tamiflu has been considered too expensive against the older drugs.