{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"Flu Antivirals Explained: Cutting Through the Misinformation","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":808,"description":"With flu activity surging across the country, so is the flood of misinformation—especially online—about antiviral medications. Viral TikToks are blaming Tamiflu for frightening side effects, homeopathic influencers are promoting so-called “Tamiflu tea,” and posts warning parents to never give their kids antivirals are getting thousands of likes.To cut through the noise, we spoke with Dr. Jess Steier, a public health scientist and founder of Unbiased Science, who translates complex medical evidence into clear, practical guidance. She’s also a parent navigating flu season in real time.What Flu Antivirals Do—and How They Differ From VaccinesDr. Steier explained the difference between prevention and treatment in everyday terms:\"Starting with the vaccine, vaccine is all about prevention, right? The vaccine trains our immune system to recognize the virus before we're ever exposed. Antivirals are treatments.\"\"So, that's what we use when we're already sick, and they work by stopping the virus from replicating in our body. And this shortens how long we're sick, reduces the severity, and for high-risk people it does a really good job of lowering the chance of hospitalization or death.\"She offered a simple analogy:\"Think of the vaccine as your seatbelt and antivirals as the airbag.\"Common Myths About Flu MedicationsOne viral myth claims that brewing teas like star anise can replace antivirals such as Tamiflu or Xofluza. Dr. Steier debunks this:\"There's a little nugget of truth—Tamiflu was originally derived from Shikimic acid, which is found in star anise. But ultimately, what's in Tamiflu is very, very different from what's in the tea. Brewing tea is not the same as taking a pharmaceutical with a precise, tested dose.\"She also addressed fears about hallucinations and seizures:\"It's true that there have been very rare reports of some neuropsychiatric effects. However, flu itself causes delirium, especially in young kids with high fevers. Oftentimes people are conflating the...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}