Q: In lieu of the bird flu pandemic and the unavailability of Tamiflu in India, can we obtain Tamiflu for prophylactic use for our staff and family, from USA or Canada? Will our Indian laws allow us to get the medicine?

A:It is not only too early but of no use to give prophylactic medicine for H5N1 flu virus at this stage. There is a long chain for bird flu virus to change its structure so as to infect humans. Furthermore, prophylactic medicines because of their short duration of action can only be usefully taken when sufficient numbers of human cases occur. There is no legal problem in importing any life saving drug for personal, non-commercial use.