UK swine flu policy recommends antiviral agents for febrile patients with two or more symptoms of flu-like illness, up to seven days from onset.¹ Thus, even with comparatively low rates of flu-like illness, many people are prescribed antiviral agents. We lack a clear evidence base that this policy is effective in clinical, public health, and economic terms, and that we are not unnecessarily exposing many people to drug treatment, with the risk of side effects.

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/339/jul08_3/b2728

The Department of Health recently published a pathway for the hospital management of adults with swine flu.^{1 2} We have serious reservations about the antibiotic recommendations

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/339/jul08_3/b2738?rss=1

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in coordination with the Medical Research Council and Wellcome, is currently commissioning research studies as part of the national response to the emerging flu pandemic.

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/339/jul08_3/b2731

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http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/may27_1/b2093