Canada Orders Label Changes for Tamiflu Drug

Canada has ordered changes to the labeling on Roche Holding AG's Tamiflu drug to mention reports.

Canada has ordered changes to the labeling on Roche Holding AG's Tamiflu drug to mention reports that some Japanese teenagers taking the medicine had tried to commit suicide, the health department said on Tuesday.

As of Feb. 28, there were no reports that Canadian teenagers taking the drug had either died or shown signs of abnormal behavior, the department added in a statement.

Tokyo said last week that Tamiflu -- considered one of the best defenses against bird flu -- should not be given to those aged 10 to 19, after reports that young people had been injured by jumping from buildings after taking the drug.

"The Canadian labeling for Tamiflu has recently been updated to include new safety information resulting from adverse reaction reports of abnormal or suicidal behavior in Japanese children or teenagers taking Tamiflu," Health Canada said.

Recent Japanese government figures say 15 people aged 10 to 19 have jumped from buildings, while another who was taking Tamiflu jumped in front of a truck and was killed.

Five young people have died in such incidents since 2004, sparking fears that the drug may induce psychiatric problems.

Roche says studies from Japan and the United States showed there was no established causal link between psychiatric problems and Tamiflu.