Mumbaikars suffering from fever and cold symptoms of swine flu assume they have contracted the virus and rush to chemists for the curative drug
Mumbaikars suffering from fever and cold symptoms of swine flu assume they have contracted the virus and rush to chemists for the curative drug
Chemist shop owners are a harried lot these days. The global scare surrounding swine flu has spread to the city (even if the disease has not). With fever and cold being publicised as symptoms of swine flu, Mumbaikars suffering from these mild disorders mistakenly believe they have contracted the deadly disease and are asking chemists for swine flu drugs.
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"People are enquiring about Tamiflu drug (which is being used to treat swine flu victims) at the retail chemist outlets. We have received a number of calls from shop owners complaining that panicky customers suffering from fever are asking for swine flu tablets, as they fear they have been affected by the virus," said J S Shinde, president of All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists.
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Side effects
The irony is that chemists are not allowed to sell Tamiflu tablets as indiscriminate use of these tablets has harmful side effects. "Even pharma companies cannot manufacture these tablets unless asked by the government. There are no Tamiflu tablets on sale in the market," said Shinde. The advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry too states that no chemist can sell Tamiflu tablets.
Over-hyped
Chemist shop owners like Ashraf from National Chemist, Parel, puts the blame on the media.
"Due to media reports people are panicking. Even those who have fever feel they are suffering from swine flu.
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People need to know that the H1N1 virus has not yet entered India. There is nothing to worry," he said.
A chemist shop owner from Marine Lines said that customers who frequently travel abroad have been enquiring about swine flu drugs.
"People travelling abroad or those coming from swine flu-affected countries are asking for swine flu tablets fearing that they may get affected by the virus," he said.u00a0
Pune to give world swine flu vaccine
Eight scientists of the Pune-based 42-year-old Serum Institute of India Ltd (SIIL) have been entrusted the all-important task of developing a vaccine against the new strain of the deadly H1N1 influenza virus, known as swine flu.
The SIIL is the first body across the world commissioned by the WHO to develop the vaccine. While vaccines against the H1N1 exist, they are unlikely to be effective against the latest strain of the virus,
Dr Suresh Jadhav, the executive director of SIIL, said it could take two years before the new vaccine is developed, but the WHO has shown interest in SIIL's attempts to undertake the mass production of the vaccine against H1N1.
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