Medicines Reserved for the Chosen Flu

I read your article on the flu [Dec. 1] with interest and, from a public health education point of view, thought you and the writers did a good job.

I am a little bothered however by the bullet (“Vitals”): “A survey of 1,008 adults found that 25% believe nothing treats the flu (there are two antiviral medications that can be given at the first sign of symptoms). . . .”

Actually, these medications are of dubious efficacy and quite expensive. They definitely fall outside the local standard of care for treating the flu in otherwise healthy patients and are typically reserved for patients with severe underlying disease. There are often multiple considerations that go into the decision to prescribe a medication for a given problem. I hope that in future articles on the subject, you will clarify that giving antiviral medications for the flu is, at best, controversial.

DR. JEFFREY ARNOLD

Attending physician

Department of Emergency Medicine

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles