Conventional medicine’s drug-of-choice for H1N1, Tamiflu, has now been found downstream in some Japanese rivers. Of course, the main concern, for those that believe that Tamiflu is a harmless and helpful drug, is that birds, which naturally carry the influenza virus, are now being exposed through the water to residues of Tamiflu’s active form (oseltamivir phosphate). This could definitely result in the posibility of eventually spreading drug-resistant strains of the seasonal and avian flu.
According to chemists, discharge water was sampled from three of the local sewage treatment plants as well as several areas along two rivers into which the treated water flowed. The sampling began in December 2008 at the beginning of flu season. Samples were taken again during the height of flu season in February and then once more as the flu season came to a close.
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