Tamiflu for influenza- be careful when dosing
If your child's health care provider prescribes the liquid form of Oseltamivir, brand name Tamiflu, to treat your child's flu, pay particular attention to how you dose the medication.
The dosing syringe that comes with the manufacturer's liquid formulation is marked in milligrams (mg), not in the customary milliliters (ml) or teaspoons (tsp).
Also, be aware that if your pharmacist makes up a liquid version from the tablets (because the liquid formulation is in short supply), the concentration (amount of medicine per amount of liquid volume) is different than what the manufacturer makes. The manufacturer makes 12mg/ml and the commonly used receipe your pharmacist will use for making a liquid formulation makes a 15mg/ml formulation.
Confused? Before you leave the pharmacy with Tamiflu, just make sure you clarify the proper amount to give with your pharmacist.
Naline Lai, MD and Julie Kardos, MD
The dosing syringe that comes with the manufacturer's liquid formulation is marked in milligrams (mg), not in the customary milliliters (ml) or teaspoons (tsp).
Also, be aware that if your pharmacist makes up a liquid version from the tablets (because the liquid formulation is in short supply), the concentration (amount of medicine per amount of liquid volume) is different than what the manufacturer makes. The manufacturer makes 12mg/ml and the commonly used receipe your pharmacist will use for making a liquid formulation makes a 15mg/ml formulation.
Confused? Before you leave the pharmacy with Tamiflu, just make sure you clarify the proper amount to give with your pharmacist.
Naline Lai, MD and Julie Kardos, MD
Posted by Two Peds in a Pod at 10/21/2009 10:53 AM 
Categories: blog posts
Tags: flu_medication influenza flu_treatment Tamiflu flu Oseltamivir H1N1
Categories: blog posts
Tags: flu_medication influenza flu_treatment Tamiflu flu Oseltamivir H1N1
Thank you for this info. Most of us would not have caught these discrepancies especially when under the stress of a sick child. I will pass it on!
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