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Estonia Rations Antivirals as Viral Wave Empties Stockpiles
Estonia's Department of Medicines is urging doctors to reserve scarce antiviral drugs like Tamiflu for high-risk patients as a severe flu season, compounded by rising COVID-19 and RSV cases, threatens to exhaust the nation's supply.
- —Estonia's Department of Medicines is strongly advising family doctors to reserve antiviral flu medications like Ebilfumin and Tamiflu exclusively for high-risk patients due to limited availability.
- —The demand for oseltamivir (Tamiflu, Ebilfumin, Segosana) has significantly exceeded previous years, impacting supply chains in Estonia and neighboring countries.
- —Despite increased planned shipments for the current season, there is a risk that the allocated amount of medication may not suffice until the end of the flu season.
- —The spread of respiratory viruses, including influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, remains high in Estonia, with a notable increase in hospitalizations, particularly among the elderly.
- —Family doctors retain the discretion to prescribe oseltamivir based on individual patient risk assessment, even without strict official limitations, considering factors like disease progression and vaccination status.
Recap
The shortage of flu medication in Estonia is not a simple supply issue; it's a stress test of the nation's public health system and exposes the fragility of regional pharmaceutical supply chains. The official policy of rationing, while leaving final discretion to doctors, shifts the burden of triage to frontline clinicians, highlighting the difficult balance between centralized crisis management and decentralized medical practice.