Tamiflu supplies short at area pharmacies

As the flu season rages on, many pharmacies across the Triangle are dealing with a shortage of Tamiflu; specifically, the generic liquid form of the prescription medicine that children need to fight the virus.

Inside the lab at Raleigh's Person Street Pharmacy, technicians are busy compounding the medication- using the capsules to create a liquid- to make up for the shortage.

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Pharmacist Maresa Roney said the generic liquid form of the medicine that helps to shorten the duration and severity of flu systems is on a manufacturing backorder due to high demand.

"When something goes on backorder, there's other options usually that we can switch patients to," said Roney. "Tamiflu is one that it's kind of just Tamiflu. So there isn't another medication in that class that's commonly prescribed. That's why when it does go on backorder, we're thankful that we can compound."

Roney said other area pharmacies that don't have compounding capabilities are sending them Tamiflu prescriptions to fill.

So far this flu season in North Carolina, 95 people have died from flu-related illness.