CDC director urges physicians to use antivirals against flu

Reuters (1/10, Steenhuysen) reported CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden stated the flu season in the US looks to be especially harsh and urged physicians to prescribe antiviral drugs when patients present with flu-like symptoms. Dr. Frieden noted that some doctors do not believe antiviral drugs like Tamiflu (oseltamivir) work and therefore may not prescribe the drugs; however, he stated that researchers have found evidence the drug does help, especially when given early on.

According to the AP (1/10, Stobbe), the CDC sent alerts to doctors, “advising prompt use of Tamiflu and other antivirals for hospitalized flu patients.” CDC officials also warned that this year’s “nasty” flu strain is “more dangerous” to elderly and very young children and that they think this year’s vaccine “doesn’t work well against this particular virus.” The AP notes that CDC officials reported the flu to be “widespread in 46 states last week,” with CDC Director Dr. Frieden stating that it appears that “we’re right in the middle of flu season.”

The New York Times (1/10, Grady, Subscription Publication) reported that according to the CDC, this year’s flu strain known as H3N2 “can cause severe illness – especially in people who are over 65, under 2 or chronically ill.” Dr. Frieden stated antivirals “are safe for children and should be given even to those younger than 2.” Also covering the story are USA Today (1/9, Szabo, Today), Bloomberg News (1/9, Elmquist), CBS News (1/11, Firger), CNBC (1/12), CNN (1/9), The Hill (1/12, Ferris), Modern Healthcare (1/9, Johnson, Subscription Publication), New York Daily News (1/12), US News & World Report (1/9, Leonard).

US flu season reaches seventh week. As reported by the Wall Street Journal (1/10, Bauerlein, Subscription Publication), CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden stated that we are in the seventh week of a flu season that usually lasts 13 weeks, but that is too soon to say that we have reached the season’s peak. Dr. Frieden noted cases are down in the Southwest and increasing in the West.

Bloomberg (1/9, Elmquist) reports the CDC stated two-thirds of US flu shot recipients “are still vulnerable to a severe strain” and that the current US flu season “has seen the second-highest influenza rates since the 2009.” Dr. Frieden stated this year’s vaccine “isn’t well matched to the actual virus.” The deaths attributed to the flu or pneumonia by the CDC monitoring system rose to 7 percent for the week ending on Jan. 3, which is beyond the epidemic threshold. Bloomberg notes that “five children were reported to have died from illness associated with the flu.”

Also reporting is ABC News (1/11, Lupkin)

Article from the AMA Morning Rounds, 1-12-15.