New Tamiflu anti-viral flu medication in lower concentration

When flu season arrives this fall, a liquid form of Tamiflu—the most widely used anti-viral flu medication—will be available in a new, lower concentration to reduce the possibility of medication errors.

The change applies to the oral suspension form of Tamiflu. Oral suspension is a powder form of the prescription medication that a pharmacist mixes with water to make a liquid treatment easier to take by children or adults who are unable to swallow a Tamiflu capsule.

The Tamiflu packaging of its oral suspension product says "new strength," meaning that the concentration of medicine in the liquid has been changed from 12 mg/mL (milligrams per milliliter) to 6 mg/mL. Why was it changed? Because the higher concentration medication became frothy when mixed, making it difficult to measure the correct dose.

SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration