HHS Orders Intravenous Antiviral Flu Medication to Help Patients Hospitalized with 2009 H1N1

November 6, 2009

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous (IV) antiviral drugs to help treat hospitalized 2009 H1N1 influenza patients.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization on Oct. 23 to allow use of intravenous drug peramivir, to treat certain hospitalized flu patients.  The contracts awarded today allow HHS to purchase more peramivir, as well as other IV antiviral drugs, if they are also approved for use by the FDA.

Patients hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza are evaluated to determine if antiviral drugs will be useful; some patients are not able to take the drugs that are currently available as pills or liquid and may benefit from intravenous antiviral medications.

For more information on the emergency use of IV peramivir authorized by FDA, including information for health care providers on patient eligibility, see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/eua/. Healthcare providers can also call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).  Additional information about BARDA contracts is available at https://www.medicalcountermeasures.gov/announcements.aspx