Key Takeaways
- Tamiflu is designed to treat influenza, not COVID-19. At the time, there was no reliable evidence that oseltamivir could directly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 or improve COVID-19 outcomes.
- Early reports did not prove Tamiflu was effective. Some COVID-19 patients received oseltamivir alongside other medications, making it impossible to attribute their recovery to Tamiflu.
- Researchers are testing existing drugs. With no specifically approved COVID-19 treatment at this stage of the outbreak, scientists are investigating whether existing and experimental antivirals, including remdesivir, could be repurposed.
Is Tamiflu Useful for COVID-19 Patients?
Tamiflu
As researchers search for treatments for COVID-19, existing antiviral medications are being investigated to determine whether they could be useful against the new coronavirus. One drug that has received attention is oseltamivir, better known by the brand name Tamiflu.
Tamiflu is an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent influenza. However, there is currently no reliable evidence that it can directly treat COVID-19.
COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which belongs to the coronavirus family. Tamiflu was developed specifically to target influenza viruses, so there is no reason to assume that its effectiveness against influenza would also make it effective against a coronavirus.
Why Has Tamiflu Been Used in COVID-19 Patients?
During the early coronavirus outbreak, doctors in China and elsewhere tried several existing antiviral medications while researchers searched for effective treatments.
A widely reported case in Thailand involved a seriously ill 70-year-old woman who received a combination of the HIV drugs lopinavir and ritonavir along with oseltamivir. She later tested negative for the virus, but because several medications were administered together, the case could not establish that Tamiflu was responsible for her improvement.
Evidence from a larger group was also discouraging. Science News reported that doctors at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University observed no effective outcomes among 124 patients who had received oseltamivir.
These early reports therefore do not provide evidence that Tamiflu is an effective treatment for COVID-19. Controlled clinical trials are needed to determine whether experimental treatments are safe and effective.
Researchers Turn to Existing Drugs
With no approved treatment specifically targeting COVID-19 at this stage of the outbreak, researchers are investigating whether drugs developed for other diseases could be repurposed.
Among the medications receiving attention is remdesivir, an experimental antiviral previously studied for Ebola and against other coronaviruses. In February 2020, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases began a clinical trial to evaluate remdesivir in hospitalized adults with COVID-19.
Researchers are also investigating other antiviral medications, including drugs originally developed to treat HIV. However, early laboratory findings and individual patient reports should not be interpreted as proof that these treatments work against COVID-19.
What About Tamiflu?
Tamiflu remains an established treatment for influenza and may be appropriate when a doctor suspects or confirms influenza.
However, based on the evidence available at this time, there is no reliable evidence that Tamiflu treats SARS-CoV-2 itself. People should not take oseltamivir specifically for COVID-19 unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.
Research into potential COVID-19 treatments is progressing rapidly, and recommendations may change as results from controlled clinical trials become available.
Final Thoughts
Tamiflu remains an important treatment for influenza, but the evidence available at this time does not show that it is an effective treatment for COVID-19. Early case reports should be interpreted cautiously, especially when patients receive several drugs simultaneously. Controlled clinical trials will be essential for determining which treatments are safe and effective against the new coronavirus.
References
Pappas, S. (2020, March 14). Is there a cure for the new coronavirus? Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/can-coronavirus-be-cured.html
Saey, T. H. (2020, March 10). Repurposed drugs may help scientists fight the new coronavirus. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/coronavirus-covid19-repurposed-treatments-drugs
Wang, D., Hu, B., Hu, C., Zhu, F., Liu, X., Zhang, J., Wang, B., Xiang, H., Cheng, Z., Xiong, Y., Zhao, Y., Li, Y., Wang, X., & Peng, Z. (2020). Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus–infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA, 323(11), 1061–1069. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1585