Liquid Tamiflu in short supply; parents turn to pharmacists who can make "suspensions"

By Alex Fees

KSDK -- Some St. Louis-area pharmacists say the liquid version of Tamiflu, for children, is in short supply.

As a result, many parents are turning to pharmacies who offer a so-called "suspension" version of the flu-relief medication, where the pharmacist crushes Tamiflu capsules and mixes the powder into a fluid.

Dr. Heidi Sallee, a pediatrician at Cardinal Glennon Medical Center, said Tamiflu only shortens your illness by one-half to one day, so it's not making a big difference for healthy children.

"So we're reserving the Tamiflu for chronically ill children such as children with asthma and other respiratory diseases, and children under two years of age, because they're much more susceptible for the complications of the flu," Dr. Sallee said.

Officials with Roche, the makers of Tamiflu, have said the liquid version is scarce because they are concentrating on making the capsules used by adults and older children. Dr. Sallee said she has heard of cases where parents are having difficulty getting their prescriptions filled for liquid Tamiflu. She says those people need to obtain suspension Tamiflu.

"For the kids who need it you can also take the tablets and a pharmacist can crush and put them into a suspension, so there is a way to do it," Sallee said. "It's not really easy to do, but it is possible to use the tablets, which there is no shortage of the tablets."

That means an increase in business for officials at Trilogy Healthcare, near Westport. Pharmacist Erin Thomas said making a suspension version of a medication is what many people associate with the work of "druggists" who work at an apothecary.

"Depending on the pharmacy, some will compound, some will not. Some just aren't as comfortable with compounding because they don't do it every day," Thomas said. "So we are seeing an increase here. Since we are only a compounding pharmacy, that's pretty much what we do all day long."

Pharmacists at many corporate-owned businesses are able to make suspensions, but because of time constraints, concern over liability, or lack of frequency, they don't.

"Mainly it's sort of health professionals, right now, that are familiar with us," Thomas said. "I don't think the public know where to really go with this, so I think it's mainly other word of mouth, from pharmacists or doctors."

But parents can get prescriptions filled at a compounding pharmacy?

"Definitely," said Thomas. "Parents can come here and bring their prescription, that's not a problem."

What about the question of health insurance? Thomas said Trilogy gives customers a claim form they can submit to their insurance company.

"Some insurances will cover compounds, and some don't," Thomas said. "It just depends on the group that you have and the carrier that you have."