Doctors are saying that because of the scarcity of Tamiflu, presently being stockpiled by governments in the event of an influenza pandemic, supplies could be extended by giving it with another drug.
Advice to governments to stock up on Tamiflu, a prescribed drug for seasonal flu, because it will be a first line of defence against bird flu, have caused the spiraling demand for the drug.
It is of major concern that the present version of H5N1 bird flu circulating in Asia and reported in other areas, could mutate into a human pandemic strain.
According to Joe Howton, a medical director at the Adventist Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, probenecid, a treatment for gout which is used with some antibiotics to boost effectiveness, could have a similar impact with Tamiflu.
As yet no one knows how effective Tamiflu will be against a pandemic strain but it is considered the best option until a vaccine can be developed.
It appears that while Dr Howton was browsing through safety data published by the drug's Swiss manufacturer Roche, he noticed that giving Tamiflu with probenecid doubles the number of hours its active ingredient is in the blood.
Probenecid works by preventing the drugs from being removed from the body by the kidneys.
He says it dawned on him that the data potentially represented a tremendous therapeutic benefit.
If this is the case it would mean that half a dose of Tamiflu with probenecid would be as effective as a full dose without it.