CANADA: Seniors at Risk from Avian Flu

OTTAWA (LE PHARMACY.COM), October 11, 2005: Canadian Internet Pharmacy and Intermediaries like www.LePharmacy.com are being inundated with Tamiflu prescriptions from US Residents fearful of shortages and a pandemic of Avian Flu. Not a day passes without reports of an additional Asian and Eastern country reporting an Avian Flu event. President Bush recently requested an increase of production from drug companies, but no change in the status quo is expected for the next few months “I don’t believe we have enough Tamiflu in the US to protect us against a potential pandemic” said Dr. James Day of Lakewood, Colorado. For elderly people and anyone with a weakened immune system, the flu and its complications can be life-threatening. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 10 to 20 percent of Americans come down with the flu during each flu season, which usually lasts from November to March. Those who are especially at risk include individuals age 65 and older who are otherwise healthy, all others with a weakened immune system and other medical problems, regardless of their age. All residents of long term care facilities fall into these categories. The power of the immune system weakens from the age of 35 onward and the risk of infection increases. A weakened immune system leaves the body vulnerable to virtually every type of illness and disease, especially when the seasonal shift from the late summer to autumn is marked by the arrival of a new generation of viruses The Avian Flu, an H5N1 type A flu, is causing a great deal of concern at the World Health Organization (WHO) and with government health bodies worldwide. Although it is a bird virus, it has made the jump to humans, killing at least 60 in Asia and the fear is that it will spread amongst humans causing a worldwide pandemic like the Spanish Flu of 1918. Seniors in the US have been quick to remember the old adage “ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Tamiflu is the only known medication used to treat the Avian Flu. Shortages and the higher price of medications are forcing Americans of all ages to look north to Canada. Tamiflu and most branded prescription medications are readily available at much lower prices. Contact: Ross Mckinlay http://www.lepharmacy.com