Stockpile two antiflu drugs, not just one, medical professors urge

Governments in Asia should stockpile two antiflu drugs, instead of just one, medical professors recommended in a medical journal article.

Many countries have stocks of oseltamivir, commonly known as Tamiflu, but the team suggested accumulating zanamivir, also known as Relenza, as well.

The group - Kenneth Tsang Wah-tak, of the University of Hong Kong, Philip Eng, of Singapore General Hospital, Shim Young-soo, of the University of Malaya Medical Centre and Wah K. Lam, of the Seoul National University College of Medicine - made the recommendation after reviewing published studies on the two antiflu drugs.

The Centre for Health Protection said it would stockpile both Tamiflu and Relenza with the goal of having 20.5 million antivirals as part of the flu preparedness plan.

So far, Hong Kong has in stock 3.7 million Tamiflu tablets. The balance would arrive in batches in the next 12 to 18 months, a spokesman said.

Relenza, which is taken by inhalation, seemed to have fewer adverse side affects and seldom led to drug resistance when compared with Tamiflu, which is taken orally, the professors wrote in the British medical journal, The Lancet.

'Therefore governments should also consider stockpiling zanamivir as an anti-influenza agent in their pandemic plans,' they said.