FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Ind. – An Indiana family is saying they believe an extreme side effect of the flu-fighter Tamiflu caused their 16-year-old relative to commit suicide.
Charlie Harp was a high school wrestler. His family says he never showed any signs of suicidal thoughts.
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Jackie Ray, Charlie's aunt and guardian, said, “Had I known this was an issue, I would've never given it to him."
Brad Ray, Jackie's husband, said, “Just thinking the whole way here what's different? He's been the same what did we do differently and it clicked he just started new medicine."
The warning label on Tamiflu states, “Pediatric patients may be at an increased risk of confusion or abnormal behavior.”
WXIN reached out to the maker of Tamiflu. A spokesperson said they can’t comment on this specific case at this time but released the following statement.
Neuropsychiatric events have been reported during the administration of Tamiflu in patients with influenza, especially in children and adolescents.
They add patients should be closely monitored for behavioral changes.
The maker says they take all reports seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation. They also stated there’s no data suggesting a link for such events with antiviral treatment.
Watch the video above for the full story from WXIN.