hankyoreh

South Korea plans to virtually ban the prescription of avian influenza drug Tamiflu to teenagers, following a similar move by Japan following reports of bizarre behavior by users of the drug, health officials said Thursday.

"We plan to include a clause in the drug's safety warning, advising against prescriptions of the drug to teenagers, except for special cases," the Korea Food and Drug Administration said.

Last month, Japan ordered the country's importer of Tamiflu to warn that children should not be prescribed the drug. It followed two incidents over the preceding two months in which 12-year-olds taking the drug jumped from the second floors of their homes.

Japan has seen abnormal behavior among several users of the anti-influenza drug in the past few years. Children have jumped from balconies or suddenly run into streets, and in a few cases they were killed.

South Korea has also issued warnings to doctors and pharmacists last month on potential side effects of the drug. Officials were notified of one report in late 2005 in which one person who took the drug suffered from severe nightmares.

Roche Holding AG, the Swiss drug's manufacturer, has defended the safety of Tamiflu, saying there is no established relationship between the drug and such reports.

Seoul, April 5 (Yonhap News)