When 10-year old Nico Mallozzi, a vibrant, popular, hockey-playing kid from New Canaan, Connecticut, died less than 72-hours after contracting flu last month, the story made the national news. And scared the crap out of parents all across the nation. The reason this particular boy’s death resonated so loudly was precisely because he was such a typical, normal, all-American kid—healthy in every way. Continue reading
influenza
I’m skeptical about … Tamiflu.
Flu season is upon us again with influenza now present in 48 states. So far, the disease has been only sporadically reported, although commercials for the anti-flu drug Tamiflu are already airing in epidemic proportions—not surprising considering that Roche has earned more than $18 billion off the drug since its introduction in 1999. As one financial analyst put it, Tamiflu is “a nice little earner.” I’ll say. But does it work? Continue reading