Lower concentrations of flu drug will be available, FDA says

SILVER SPRING, Md. — A new formulation of a common drug for flu will be available in lower concentrations to reduce the possibility of medication errors, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.



The FDA said the change applies to the oral suspension form of Genentech’s Tamiflu (oseltamivir). The formulation is a powder that the pharmacist mixes with water to make it easier to take for patients who have difficulty swallowing capsules.



The change was made because the higher-concentration version becomes frothy when mixed, making it more difficult to measure the correct dose.