Vaccine alternative also scarce

As the government struggles to rush out its new H1N1 vaccine as quickly as possible, that vaccine...  More »

As the government struggles to rush out its new H1N1 vaccine as quickly as possible, that vaccine isn't the only thing that is tough for some to get. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control report spotty shortages of the liquid form of the antiviral, Tamiflu, the form often given to children. They also want people to know there are things they can do: Capsules are okay for kids who can swallow them, and for those who need a liquid, there's something called compounding. "Compounding is just like making a recipe, its like cooking, so basically you're taking Tamiflu as its available in a capsule, and you're mixing it with some syrups and making it into a form that a child can take," explains pharmacist Evangeline Ramsay. The CDC says there is also something parents can do if they can't get the liquid. "There's a way for you to open pill take home mix with syrup," noted the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat. Something a lot of parents may be wary of, but another sign of how seriously health officials are about stopping the virus' spread. Major retail pharmacies, like Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid have agreed to compound the liquid form of Tamiflu when needed. Patients should be prepared to wait a few hours as it takes at least 20 minutes for each formulation.  « Less