What Is Oseltamivir Used For?

How Does Oseltamivir Work?

Oseltamivir works by attacking the flu virus inside the body, thus preventing it from spreading. This is different from other flu medicines, which just treat flu symptoms.

 

Oseltamivir is part of a class of drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors. Neuraminidase (an enzyme found on the flu virus) allows the virus to spread. By blocking this enzyme, oseltamivir keeps the virus from spreading.

 

Is Oseltamivir Used for Children?

Oseltamivir has been approved for the prevention or treatment of the flu in children 1 year of age and older. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of oseltamivir for infants under one year of age for the 2009-2010 H1N1 flu season. However, oseltamivir is not recommended for very young infants (under three months of age) unless the situation is critical, since there is very little information about how to properly dose this medication in young infants.

 

Is Oseltamivir Used in an Off-Label Fashion?

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend a drug for something other than the conditions it is licensed to treat. This is called an "off-label" use. At this time, there are no off-label uses for oseltamivir. However, this drug is actively being studied to learn how effective it is at treating bird flu (avian flu).