'Excited' run on Tamiflu

An "excited" public has bought nearly all of Dee St Chemists supply of Tamiflu, manager and pharmacist Ray Davis says.

He said stories in media in the wake of the swine flu outbreak in Mexico had created a huge demand for the anti-flu drug.

"If we hadn't got so excited seven days ago there may not be a problem," Mr Davis said.

The reported shortage of Tamiflu had caused further risk of selling out, he said.

"When Joe Bloggs finds that out he tells his friends, and that creates a bigger supply shortage. We are almost sold out.

Mr Davis said there were two ways to obtain Tamiflu.

"People don't need symptoms if they go to the doctor. They can get a prescription if they are travelling and they want some [Tamiflu] now; if they'll be where infected people are. [Or] they can present themselves at the pharmacy door if they have symptoms, and a pharmacist will come to assist them with a mask on."

Procedures for people with symptoms visiting pharmacies varied, he said.

Dee St Chemist had had "quite a few" phone inquiries and a few dozen people coming in with prescriptions for Tamiflu. They had not had any people present themselves with flu symptoms.

Manager and pharmacist at Unichem Timaru, Neil Savage, had not seen any people with symptoms of swine flu. However, he had seen some people with prescriptions for Tamiflu. Anyone who came to the pharmacy would be directed to their GP or the Ministry of Health, Mr Savage said.

Pharmacy Guild chief executive Annabel Young said there were conditions under which people would be given Tamiflu.

"Pharmacists will ask them questions and see if they have flu-like symptoms. Once [pharmacists] are satisfied they have the symptoms [they will be given Tamiflu]."

She said each pharmacy would have its own procedure to deal with people who have symptoms of swine flu.

"There will be variability. Some will have masks; some will have a spare room."

If people are really sick they should go to a doctor, but if they are slightly sick they should go to the pharmacy, she said.

Pharmacists cannot sell Tamiflu to patients who are concerned they might develop swine flu.

- © Fairfax NZ News