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Both NBC and CBS told us about what happens when the H1N1 influenza virus gets serious. NBC's Robert Bazell followed up on the tale of bereavement from one of his viewers. David Jones of Columbus Ohio is a new grandfather who will have to raise an orphan after his 20-year-old daughter Kelsey succumbed to the 'flu in the eighth month of her pregnancy. Her physician would not prescribe antiviral medicine when she showed 'flu symptoms because she tested negative. "Rapid 'flu tests are wrong as often as half of the time," noted Bazell. Yes, he said half of the time! They might as well toss a coin.
CBS' Eye on Medicine showed us the sunny side. John Boudrot was on a ventilator suffering from organ failure last month when he was given the experimental drug Peramivir. Now the 51-year-old is well enough to walk out of the hospital. Wyatt Andrews warned that the antiviral intravenous medicine is still in clinical trials so it requires four hours of paperwork to apply for a compassionate use exemption from the Food & Drug Administration. "The FDA has said that it will consider what is called an Emergency Use Authorization for Peramivir, allowing the government to stockpile the drug and reduce the paperwork."
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