If the H1N1 flu vaccine is hard to come by these days, the heralded medication to fight symptoms of H1N1 is even harder to get your hands on in New Brunswick, by order of the Department of Health.
The main antiviral medication for H1N1 is called Tamiflu.
Last month, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health gave an order for the drug to be given to pharmacies across the province shortly after the H1N1 vaccine became available.
But Dr. Eilish Cleary says Tamiflu shouldn't be prescribed for all H1N1 cases, and should be given only to a small minority of all flu cases over the weeks and months to come as warranted.
Cleary said most people who get H1N1 would have mild symptoms and could be treated at home with rest and over-the-counter pain relievers.
"Our concern and attention is focused on that small subset of people, and it is a minority of people, who develop severe symptoms," she said.
It's for those people where Tamiflu would most likely be prescribed, she said. By extension, Cleary said it was important that not everybody having flu symptoms be given the antiviral.
"We are encouraging prudent use and warning against abuse of these medications as we want to make sure we have medications that work for these people who really need it," she said.
"It's a medication and with any medication there are potential side effects. It's safe to profile Tamiflu as very good. But if you use it in larger numbers of people, larger numbers of people can get side effects."
Cleary said there's also a concern that prescribing an antiviral to many people might lead to drug resistance.
"There have been reports of this happening," said Cleary, although she said it hasn't been reported in New Brunswick.
"It's not widespread yet and it's only been in a small amount of cases around the world. But if that was to become more prevalent, then we would see that Tamiflu wouldn't work for those people who really need it.
"So we recommend cautious administration of any medication and Tamiflu is no exception."
The Department of Health wouldn't say how much Tamiflu is in its provincial stockpile, how much Tamiflu has been sent to pharmacies for H1N1, nor how many Tamiflu prescriptions might have been written out since the flu outbreak began.
The province's antiviral stockpile has been built up over the last few years in the event of a major viral outbreak.
Provincial purchases of Tamiflu have been staggered over time because it has a shelf life of only about five years and needs to be replaced often.
Besides Tamiflu, Cleary said there was a small amount of another antiviral on stock if Tamiflu ever did become ineffective.
"So far we haven't needed to use it," she said.
The main antiviral medication for H1N1 is called Tamiflu.
Last month, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health gave an order for the drug to be given to pharmacies across the province shortly after the H1N1 vaccine became available.
But Dr. Eilish Cleary says Tamiflu shouldn't be prescribed for all H1N1 cases, and should be given only to a small minority of all flu cases over the weeks and months to come as warranted.
Cleary said most people who get H1N1 would have mild symptoms and could be treated at home with rest and over-the-counter pain relievers.
"Our concern and attention is focused on that small subset of people, and it is a minority of people, who develop severe symptoms," she said.
It's for those people where Tamiflu would most likely be prescribed, she said. By extension, Cleary said it was important that not everybody having flu symptoms be given the antiviral.
"We are encouraging prudent use and warning against abuse of these medications as we want to make sure we have medications that work for these people who really need it," she said.
"It's a medication and with any medication there are potential side effects. It's safe to profile Tamiflu as very good. But if you use it in larger numbers of people, larger numbers of people can get side effects."
Cleary said there's also a concern that prescribing an antiviral to many people might lead to drug resistance.
"There have been reports of this happening," said Cleary, although she said it hasn't been reported in New Brunswick.
"It's not widespread yet and it's only been in a small amount of cases around the world. But if that was to become more prevalent, then we would see that Tamiflu wouldn't work for those people who really need it.
"So we recommend cautious administration of any medication and Tamiflu is no exception."
The Department of Health wouldn't say how much Tamiflu is in its provincial stockpile, how much Tamiflu has been sent to pharmacies for H1N1, nor how many Tamiflu prescriptions might have been written out since the flu outbreak began.
The province's antiviral stockpile has been built up over the last few years in the event of a major viral outbreak.
Provincial purchases of Tamiflu have been staggered over time because it has a shelf life of only about five years and needs to be replaced often.
Besides Tamiflu, Cleary said there was a small amount of another antiviral on stock if Tamiflu ever did become ineffective.
"So far we haven't needed to use it," she said.
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