An Australian bird flu expert says government policy making the anti-viral drug Tamiflu available only by prescription will be useless against the H5N1 virus in a pandemic.
Canberra molecular biologist Graeme Laver said for Tamiflu to work it must be taken within six to 12 hours of flu symptoms appearing.
"You can't get it without a doctor's prescription, by which time it's useless," Professor Laver told reporters in Sydney.
He said the policy was stupid and described the government's refusal to change it as "a scandal".
"Tamiflu should be available in every chemist in the country, without a prescription, so you can get it in time," Prof Laver said.
He said the government is sitting on a stockpile of 3.9 million doses of Tamiflu - about the same number of people who would be infected with bird flu in Australia during a local pandemic.
"If people know Tony Abbott has got it all locked up they are going to get as mad as rattlesnakes trying to get it," Prof Laver said.
Every chemist in Australia could soon have a rapid diagnostic kit that diagnosed bird flu in 15 to 20 minutes, Prof Laver said.
