Bird flu drugs fly off shelves in flu-fearing HK
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Worried residents and companies in Hong Kong are sweeping bird flu drugs off pharmacy shelves as the deadly virus spreads in poultry and wild birds in mainland China and parts of Europe.
The worry in Hong Kong is understandable. The H5N1 virus made its first known jump to humans in the city in 1997, when it killed six people. SARS, which killed nearly 300 people here in 2003, is also fresh in people’s minds.
Health experts have warned for months that the bird flu virus, which has killed more than 60 people in four Southeast Asian countries since 2003, could soon mutate into a strain that is easily passed among people. Millions could die.
At some pharmacies, store managers said they had run out of Tamiflu and Relenza, which are known by their generic names oseltamivir and zanamivir, about two weeks ago.
Both anti-viral drugs are considered by many doctors as an effective way to reduce the severity of avian influenza and its complications, if taken correctly.
Although both are prescribed drugs in Hong Kong, they had been freely available over the counter in pharmacies until very recently. The government began enforcing the restrictions since it warned against indiscriminate use of the drugs.
“We sold out a few weeks ago. You need a doctor’s prescription now or we won’t be able to get them for you,” said one store manager at a pharmacy.
“And even with a prescription, I don’t know when you can get yours. Supply is very tight because companies have been buying in bulk for their own staff. I’ve got four orders before yours.”
“But if you can’t wait, you can get them from shops in Mongkok. They are going for between HK$600 and HK$1,000 ($77 and $128).”
Each course of Tamiflu and Relenza had fetched about HK$200 (US$25) a few weeks ago. A course of Tamiflu is 10 tablets.
Some scientists believe migratory birds escaping the harsh northern winter are helping spread H5N1 to the eastern edge of Europe. Mainland China reported outbreaks of birdflu in poultry in central Hunan province and eastern Anhui province this week alone.
Hong Kong’s government plans to amass a large stockpile of anti-viral medicine by 2007. But some residents want their own supplies now.
“I want to get two courses for my own family, because there may not be enough when the pandemic happens,” said bank employee Olga Lo.
“But I will not take it without doctor’s advice, because that may lead to resistance,” Lo said.
Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, a scientist at the University of Hong Kong and one of the city’s top health experts who helped fight against bird flu and SARS in recent years, warned against indiscriminate use of the anti-virals on Tuesday.
“We strongly advise the public against self medication with anti-viral agents. One of the most important reasons is because of the development of anti-viral resistance,” Yuen said.
“If you are infected by a H5N1 virus at the same time, there may be gene reshuffling which will allow the resistant gene from the human influenza virus to go into the bird flu virus. That may make the whole pandemic preparedness plan useless because you can increase the amount of resistance in the virus, leading to prophylactic or treatment failure,” Yuen said.
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