Antiviral Drugs

ANTIVIRAL DRUGS Four antiviral drugs are licensed to treat the disease in the U.S.: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. Most of the viruses are susceptible to all four, but the CDC currently recommends oseltamivir or zanamivir to treat and prevent swine flu infections. The antivirals, which are prescription medicines, should be taken as soon as possible symptoms appear. Tamiflu (the trade name for oseltamivir) and Relenza (the trade name for zanamivir) are effective against the new strain when taken early, says the CDC. There is currently no human vaccine for swine flu, but the flu vaccine may provide some protection against the H3N2 strain, though not the H1N1 strain.