Xofluza: 5 questions you may have about the new flu medicine and their answers

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a new flu drug and health professionals are delighted.

Why? Because the drug, called Xofluza, is the first and only oral drug at a dose approved for the treatment of influenza.

"We welcome all the additional tools we have to treat influenza when patients become ill, and this new drug is a convenient single-dose option for patients," said Dr. David Priest, Medical Director, ABC News. of infection prevention at Novant Health. .

But he also pointed out that the best way to treat the flu is not to contract it in the first place. And you can do it by getting the flu shot – the first line of defense against the flu.

"The influenza vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu and we will continue to encourage people to get vaccinated," he said.

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Why is this ad so important?

The flu season in North America begins in November and ends in March. The strength of influenza each year depends on a few factors, including strains of the virus in circulation, the effectiveness of the vaccine and the number of people who get vaccinated.

The last influenza season, from 2017 to 2018, is considered the deadliest of the last four years, with more than 900,000 hospitalizations and 80,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But Xofluza (pronounced "ZOH-FLU-ZAH") will give doctors a new option to fight the flu once diagnosed in people aged 12 and older.

What does Xofluza do that Tamiflu does not do?

Until now, Tamiflu was the only other option for people diagnosed with the flu. The drug is known to reduce the symptoms of the flu and reduce its duration. But while Tamiflu requires patients to take two doses a day for about five days, Xofluza only requires one dose if taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Xofluza can also reduce the duration of an illness more than a day. And just as importantly, Xofluza could potentially stop the spread of influenza faster than Tamiflu.

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Xofluza is also associated with fewer side effects. Tamiflu has been associated with stomach upset and headaches, and even some psychiatric effects, such as delusions and hallucinations. In comparison, Xofluza has been shown to cause only mild side effects in clinical trials, such as cold-like symptoms and headaches.

How fast does Xofluza work?

If you start to feel the symptoms of the flu, such as shortness of breath, high fever and abdominal pain, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Genentech, the manufacturer of Xofluza, claims that its effectiveness is optimal if it is taken within 48 hours of the onset of these symptoms.

"Like Tamiflu, it seems that it works better faster than the patient gets," Todd Ellerin, an infectious disease specialist at South Shore Hospital in Massachusetts, told ABC News. He added that he had been studied in otherwise healthy patients. The effectiveness of this drug in patients with the most severe form of the disease or the most vulnerable people remains uncertain.

Will it work on all flu strains?

Genentech claims that Xofluza has been shown to be effective in non-clinical studies on a wide range of influenza viruses, including avian and Tamiflu-resistant strains, such as H7N9 and H5N1.

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How much does it cost?

If you get the flu, your doctor will decide if Xofluza is right for you. it should be available to the public in the coming weeks.

The price of the drug will vary depending on your pharmacy and your insurance plan, but a full dose of the drug should cost around $ 150.

Genentech says it will provide coupons that will help reduce the cost to $ 60 for people who do not have insurance. For people with insurance, it could be as low as $ 30.

Eric M. Strauss is the editor-in-chief of ABC News Medical Unit.