Search

Although vaccination is the preferred option for preventing influenza, antivirals can be useful when the vaccine fails.

Frequently asked questions about the use of antivirals for prevention and treatment of influenza; What are the uses of antivirals against seasonal influenza? Which are the antivirals we use in Europe against seasonal influenza and who should get them? If antivirals are so good why don’t doctors give them out more often? Do people who have been immunized against influenza need antivirals?

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.

This ECDC expert opinion confirms earlier assessments by ECDC and national authorities that there is no significant new evidence to support any changes to the approved indications and recommended use of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) in EU/EEA Member States. Recommendations to treat patients with severe influenza – or those at high risk of the complications of influenza – and provide prophylaxis to the most vulnerable and their families are based on the evidence from randomised controlled trials, evidence from observational studies, extrapolation from studies, and a generally benign safety profile of these medicines.