Swine flu antiviral medicine IN ADVANCE.

Who is this postal service for?
This postal service is for people who do not yet have swine flu but wish to prepare for when they might have it, or for when they come into close contact with someone who is confirmed as having swine flu or when you come in contact with a person with the following symptoms :

• - a sudden fever (a high body temperature of 38°C/100.4°F or above), and
• - sudden cough.
• - severe headache,
• - tiredness,
• - chills (feeling hot and cold),
• - aching muscles,
• - limb or joint pain,
• - diarrhoea or stomach upset,
• - sore throat,
• - runny nose,
• - sneezing, or
• - loss of appetite.

Which medicine will I receive if I use this service?
For detailed information on the medicine that our doctors can prescribe click here and download the PDF of the Patient Information Leaflet.

What if I think I already have swine flu?
If you think you already have symptoms of swine flu, you should not use this mail order service. Check if you have swineflu using National Pandemic Flu Service or contact your GP. To learn more about swine flu please download

• - Swine flu information leaflet (PDF)
• - Swine flu information leaflet: other languages
• - Swine flu information leaflet: large print
• - Swine flu information leaflet: audio
• - Scientific information on swine flu treatment (PDF)

How does this postal service work?
Register online and fill in the questionnaire. One of our doctors will assess your responses and, if appropriate, send you the medicine in the post using Royal Mail Special Delivery. Someone will have to sign for the medicine upon delivery.

How do I take the medicine I am sent?
Detailed instructions on how to take this oral medicine will accompany the medicine itself. If you think you have swine flu, you will need to take one capsule twice a day for five days. If you have come into close contact with someone who is confirmed as having swine flu, you will need to take one capsule daily for ten days.

How effective is the medicine?
The medicine may help someone who is in close contact with another person who already has swine flu to avoid contracting swine flu themselves.

The medicine may also help someone who develops swine flu to recover more quickly if taken within 48 hours of symptoms developing by:

• - Relieving some of the symptoms
• - Reducing the length of time you are ill by around one day
• - Reducing the potential for serious complications, such as pneumonia

What are the potential side-effects of the medicine?
Like any medicine, this oral antiviral medicine can have side-effects. Side-effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or an allergic rash. Specifically, the medicine can also cause abdominal pain, headache, conjunctivitis and rarely skin reactions, inflammation of the liver or visual disturbances. A full list of some of the rarer side-effects will be listed in the Patient Information Leaflet that will accompany the medicine itself.

What are the alternatives to the oral antiviral medicine offered here?
The most commonly used alternative to the oral medicine our doctors can prescribe is an inhaled drug that tends to be used for pregnant women and people with certain kidney conditions who are unable to take this oral medicine.

Is there a vaccine for swine flu?
New vaccine has been developed for swine flu at present and CDC has published their recommendations. Initially people said to at risk are likely to be vaccinated but not every one will be vaccinated. Doctors are still debating about the potency, side effects and long term problems. Please refer Swine flu NHS Information and CMO weekly pandemic report September 3 (PDF).

Who should not use the service?
You should not request this medicine if you already know that you are allergic to oseltamivir. You should not request this medicine online if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. You should not use this service if you already think you have swine flu and instead you should try to obtain the medicine from the NHS straight away.

Can I collect the medicine? This service is exclusively a postal service. We are unable to organise for medicines that you request online to be collected in one of our pharmacies.

Online Doctor Disclaimer The information contained herein including any references to resource materials is not intended for diagnosis or treatment, or to cure or to prevent any condition or disease. Such information is intended only for reference and should not be used as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.   The information contained within, or obtained as a consequence of using this service is not intended to be, or implied to be, a substitute for professional medical or pharmaceutical advice, rather it is intended to support your relationship between you and your healthcare providers. You should always seek the advice of your doctor, pharmacist, or other qualified health care provider prior to commencing any new treatment for any of the conditions, diseases or maladies in relation to which advice is sought, and questions in relation to such treatment should be directed to such professional health care providers.   Advice from your doctor should always be sought before taking any new product, particularly if you are already under medical care. All care is taken in relation to ensuring that information furnished on this website is as up to date as is possible but no responsibility is accepted if any of the information sought by users is subsequently found to be out of date or superseded