Tamiflu cleared...for now

A Reuters article reports that the advisory committee studying the deaths of 12 Japanese youths and 32 cases of "psychiatric problems" have cleared the drug in the incidents, but suggest that further attention is necessary:

"'The committee does not think, based on the data presented, that there's any evidence Tamiflu played a role in the deaths,' panel chairman Robert Nelson said."


"The committee, a group of experts from outside the FDA, also agreed the agency should continue monitoring the safety of Tamiflu in children and report back to the panel in about a year after officials compile data from another flu season."

Yet another example where it is difficult to determine what role a drug played in deaths and psychiatric episodes. The impending report in a year after the current flu season may increase pressure from Roche on Bill Frist to jam his amendment into the health, education and labor bill (the House version was rejected yesterday, so there is still plenty of time for sneak-amendments) protecting vaccine makers from liability except in cases of willful negligence and capping noneconomic damages at $250,000.