Coast flu drugs sold out in panic buyingKathleen Donaghey
April 29th, 2009
GOLD Coast chemists sold their last doses of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza yesterday because of supply shortages at the wholesaler.
Pharmacies were caught unawares by the swine flu outbreak and did not have their shelves well stocked ahead of the 'panic buy'.
But suppliers' warehouses were also almost empty.
Leading drugs wholesaler Sigma said it could be up to three days before the supply was back on line and people could buy the prescribed medications. It come amid news four Gold Coasters are feared to have swine flu.
By late yesterday the company had received orders from pharmacies equivalent to 18 months' usual supply, and 15 months' equivalent for Relenza.
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The Commonwealth has a stockpile of almost nine million doses of both drugs which will only be distributed to states and GPs when necessary.
Meanwhile the United States warned it may see its first fatalities from the virus, which thus far has proved fatal only in Mexico, the epicentre, where more than 150 people are believed to have died from the flu.
As of last night, at least 88 people across Australia are suspected of having swine flu but no confirmed cases have been reported.
Authorities are searching for another 22 people who were on the same flight as New Zealand students confirmed as having the deadly virus.
Jason Keily, co-owner of Greg Keily Chemist in Southport, said the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza were not usually in high demand unless there was a pandemic scare.
Yesterday, he had only one pack each of Tamiflu and Relenza and expected them to go quickly.
However, when he rang the supplier he was told there was none left.
Mr Keily said he usually stocked only two packets because they were not big sellers but he was placing a new order for 20 of each drug.
Intern pharmacist Kane Gusti at Chemmart, Tugun, said he sold his last Tamiflu packet at 3.30pm.
That dose was one of five left over from the previous bird flu scare.
Mr Gusti said pharmacies usually placed big orders in anticipation of a scare but with swine flu coming out of the blue, chemists now had to join the queue for orders.
Across the NSW border in Murwillumbah, the local Sunnyside Pharmacy had also sold out of both drugs by 3.30pm but had plenty of masks available.
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the health department also kept sufficient face masks, should they become necessary, as well as the drugs.
"We're fortunate that we have Tamiflu and we know that it's effective against the virus," said Dr Young.
General Practice Gold Coast president Dr Michael Wright said doctors had been receiving calls from patients worried about swine flu.
The general prevention advice from all health professionals is the same as that for the general flu, including washing hands regularly and covering your mouth when coughing.
