Story of Influenza Antivirals: Part 36

So what?

We have charted our voyage of discovery from 2006 through to 2014 to produce a Cochrane review based on transparent evidence. We have discussed the availability and how to develop a complete evidence programme (AV 28), the discovery of missing consistent definitions of “complications” (AV 29) and confusing concept of compliharms (AV 30); the likelihood of a mode of action of oseltamivir mediated by the central nervous system and not by its supposed actions on influenza viruses (AV 24) and we asked in AV 31 why anyone would use these drugs, and highlighted the nonsense concept of meta-analysis based on outcomes with no standards definitions across multicentre trials sites (AV 32). We also showed the serious mistakes made in the reporting of harms and the absence of populations which, in theory, would most benefit from antiviral administration (AV 33)

So after 35 episodes, it is time, to sum up what we found 

• Oseltamivir/Tamiflu reduces the duration of influenza-like symptoms by 16 hou…