Brussels, 07/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - The October edition of the journal Prescrire ran an article on the effectiveness of antiviral drugs in the treatment of influenza, pointing out that flu can be deadly, particularly in those aged over the age of 65, for whom vaccination comes particularly highly recommended. Studies available show that as a curative treatment, no antiviral tangibly reduces the mortality or hospitalisation rates and complications related to flu, particularly in more fragile patients. Antiviral drugs can have undesirable side-effects, some of which can be very serious. "Simply put, antiviral treatment for curative purposes of a suspected influenza episode adds very little to usual treatments (attempting to bring fever and pain down) for influenza, notwithstanding the undesirable side-effects", reads a Prescrire editorial (our translation). Does this mean that antiviral drugs should be abandoned in an influenza pandemic? The answer is no, although their effectiveness has not actually been demonstrated. The only data available on oseltamivir (the antiviral drug currently stocked with this in mind), and which is being used as a preventive measure during the bird flu episode in the Netherlands, seems to indicate relative effectiveness (the statistical sample was very small). Independently of their effectiveness, however, antiviral drugs, together with sanitary measures, are the only weapons available whilst a new vaccine is being developed.