Oseltamivir - Whole Blood and Components

Also known as: Tamiflu®

Essential information

Obligatory

Must not donate if:

  1. Taking oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) as treatment for influenza.
  2. At any time in the seven days prior to, or while taking oseltamivir, the donor has had symptoms of influenza, (a temperature of more than 38 degrees centigrade, or a history of fever and two or more of the following symptoms: cough, headache, runny nose, diarrhoea or vomiting).
Discretionary

If the potential donor is taking oseltamivir as prophylaxis, they have not been advised to be confined to home and have not had any symptoms of influenza, accept.

Supporting information

See if relevant
Additional information

Oseltamivir is a viral neuraminidase inhibitor (neuraminidase is an enzyme that helps the virus spread from cell to cell). It is used to treat influenza and for post-exposure prophylaxis of influenza. It appears to be a very safe drug with little evidence for teratogenic (potential to cause birth defects) or mutagenic (potential to cause malignancy) effect.