I have been trying to get some Tamiflu (Roche, Oseltamivir), the drug being touted to help cure from H1N1 here in Puerto Plata, since the local news announced a couple of days ago that the DR government had imported I don't know how many 100's of thousands of pills or boxes.
Well, I have to the date not yet found one single farmacy which carries it here in Puerto Plata or Sosua.
Most "pharmacist" don't even know what it is and when explained, they refer to GABIRLOL (Rimantadine, sold in the US under the name FLUMADINE) for around 600 Pesos a 14 pill pack. "E' lo mi'mo!" it's or it does the same... "... just take plenti ahead of time it will raise your "defences" (imune system)", they all said.
Well BULL$HITT!
All "literature" I can find on the net would indicate that, while most swine influenza viruses have been susceptible to Rimantadine and it's parallel drug Amantadine, the most recent swine influenza viruses isolated from humans are resistant to Rimantadine and Amantadine!
I don't know if Tamiflu is readily available to the public in the two major cities and I would welcome if somebody could point towards pharmacies which sell it.
... J-D.
PS: No, I / we have NOT been infected (yet).
Well, I have to the date not yet found one single farmacy which carries it here in Puerto Plata or Sosua.
Most "pharmacist" don't even know what it is and when explained, they refer to GABIRLOL (Rimantadine, sold in the US under the name FLUMADINE) for around 600 Pesos a 14 pill pack. "E' lo mi'mo!" it's or it does the same... "... just take plenti ahead of time it will raise your "defences" (imune system)", they all said.
Well BULL$HITT!
All "literature" I can find on the net would indicate that, while most swine influenza viruses have been susceptible to Rimantadine and it's parallel drug Amantadine, the most recent swine influenza viruses isolated from humans are resistant to Rimantadine and Amantadine!
I don't know if Tamiflu is readily available to the public in the two major cities and I would welcome if somebody could point towards pharmacies which sell it.
... J-D.
PS: No, I / we have NOT been infected (yet).