§ Mr. Lansley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria he is applying to the availability on prescription of Tamiflu as a treatment for influenza. [141313]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson:The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that Tamiflu should not be used for the treatment of influenza in children or adults unless they are considered to be 'at-risk'. Full details of the NICE guidance issued in February 2003 is available on the website www.nice.org.uk.
The Department is consulting on a proposal to enable other patients not considered to be 'at-risk' to receive Tamiflu from their doctor. The consultation is available at www.doh.gov.uk/tamifluconsultation.