Use of antiviral drug in poultry is blamed for drug resistant strains of avian flu

China's Ministry of Agriculture has denied accusations that it approved the use of the human antiviral drug amantadine as a preventive measure against avian influenza in poultry. Its widespread use by Chinese farmers is now being blamed for producing strains of avian flu that are resistant to the drug. A report by the Washington Post (18 June, p A01) said that Chinese farmers had been using amantadine since the late 1990s and that it was a practice that was encouraged by government officials. The Ministry of Agriculture, however, has said that the allegations are untrue. “We have never approved or permitted farmers to use amantadine to treat avian flu or other …