In the first of C+D's clinical news round-ups, we look at dubious flu treatments, stroke risks and the upcoming European Antibiotic Awareness Day.

Story 1: Antiviral effectiveness comes under scrutiny

Antivirals should not be routinely used to treat seasonal flu, a steering group of experts has concluded.

The benefits of prescribing Tamiflu and Relenza is “unlikely to outweigh the risks of side effects” unless the flu strain is “particularly severe or the individual is very ill”, said the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMC), which published the group’s findings last week (October 8).

The Department of Health-commissioned steering group, which includes authors of recent studies as well as clinical experts, said the drugs can only reduce seasonal flu symptoms by the "relatively small" period of 14-18 hours, the AMC reported.

However, the drugs could “significantly reduce deaths” in hospitalised patients if taken within 48 hours of symptoms appearing, the AMC said, which could be “critical in a flu epidemic situation".

The group called for randomised trials to be conducted to test the effectiveness of the antiviral drugs on hospitalised and high-risk patients whenever a new pandemic begins.

Story 2: Flu vaccines cut stroke risk

Flu vaccines can reduce the risk of stroke for up to two months after being administered, according to the University of Lincoln.

The chances of suffering a first stroke fell by 36% in the first week after receiving the flu jab, researchers at the university said, after looking at almost 18,000 cases of stroke patients who also received the vaccine.

Vaccines administered earlier in the flu season offered greater protection, with the reduction in strokes dropping to 17% between the fifth and eighth weeks, the university said earlier this month (October 6).

The university’s professor of primary and pre-hospital care Niro Siriwardena said the findings – funded by the Institute of Health Research – could “encourage early vaccination”. “We are now at the point of developing further studies into whether it could be recommended to extend vaccination to younger adults at risk of stroke,” he added.

Story 3: CPPE backs antibiotic awareness campaign

The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) has urged pharmacists to create displays in their pharmacy’s to support European Antibiotic Awareness Day.

Pharmacists could create their display in time for the campaign on November 18, the education provider suggested, and “tweet and post their pictures to CPPE’s social media channels”.

CPPE also asked pharmacists to pledge to become antibiotic guardians – which includes a promise to educate patients about correct use of the drugs. If pharmacists have already signed up as a guardian, they will be asked to agree to ten further pledges, it said.

CPPE is running e-workshops in November to coincide with the campaign. Posters and further information can be downloaded from the campaign's website.

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