Japan finds 128 abnormal cases in Tamiflu probe

More than 100 Japanese, mostly young children and teenagers, have behaved abnormally since taking the blockbuster flu drug Tamiflu and eight of them killed themselves, officials said Thursday.

Health authorities in both Japan, the largest importer of Tamiflu, and the United States had previously ruled out dangers from taking the drug, which is manufactured by Swiss drug giant Roche.

But Japan decided to launch a fresh investigation after a spate of new deaths which led the government last month to issue an emergency order suspending the prescription of Tamiflu to young people.

As part of the new probe, the health ministry looked at 1,079 potential cases reported since 2001 and confirmed that 128 patients had behaved abnormally after taking Tamiflu, a ministry official said.

A total of 100 patients who acted strangely were 20 years old or younger, and 43 of them were under 10 years old, he said.

The behaviour included sudden fits of extreme behaviour such as trying to jump from a balcony, the official said.

Eight people -- five in their teens and three adults -- died after falling from tall buildings or in drastic actions such as running in front of a car, he said.

The report was submitted Wednesday to a health ministry panel which is investigating whether Tamiflu was to blame for the abnormal behaviour, he said.

Tokyo buys more than 60 percent of the world's supply of Tamiflu, which is prescribed for the common flu and is seen as a frontline drug against a potential avian influenza pandemic.

Roche denies any dangerous side-effects of its drug, which Japan has stockpiled as a precaution for such a pandemic.