Expensive, convenient solutions can be ineffective. But often the perceived convenience obscures this. The treatment of common ailments often falls in to this category, because natural remedies work effectively. The rapid spread of new diseases, like AIDS, BSE (mad cow disease) and bird flu, raise the fear of pandemics and the willingness to seek strong, control remedies. And so, anti-flu medicine has been stockpiled by governments.
But studies show that the expensive flu remedy has no better effect than paracetamol and has undesirable side effects.
Perhaps most worryingly it appears that the drug manufacturers do not release all their test results. That demonstrates a sever conflict of interest where profit is put before people.
BBC: Tamiflu: Millions wasted on flu drug, claims major report
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