Tamiflu: Not Vegetarian. Not Vegan. Just a Joke

So, I have Swine Flu. Luckily being vegan doesn't steal your sense of humour and so I can laugh at the irony of contracting a disease that stems from an industry that I haven't supported for 16 years.

I can't however, quite get round the irony that Tamiflu capsules contain gelatine. I've investigated and I am unable to find out the origins of the gelatine (pig/cow) but either way it's madness. Not only does this rule out taking the medication for vegetarians and vegans but it also raises issues for those with particular religious beliefs.

Governments worldwide have blindly ploughed money into buying unprecedented amounts of these capsules in waves of panic and the ethical and religious beliefs of thousands of people have not even been considered. Powder forms of the drug are available which do not contain any animal products, however here in the UK you only get one drug pick up reference and one prescription and so I doubt that it would be possible for me to pick up an alternative.

Luckily, I am slowly but surely recovering without the aid of of the anti-viral and most people will but if you do get sick and want the drug I would recommend speaking to the people on the pandemic flu hotline and asking about alternatives to the capsule.