Emergency department visits for antiviral adverse events during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic

The 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) outbreak was associated with an increased use of antiviral agents and highlighted the role of population-based monitoring for related adverse drug events (ADEs). An ongoing, nationally representative emergency department-based surveillance system was used to identify and characterize ADEs during the pandemic. Active surveillance for ADEs successfully provided timely, population-based data during the pandemic. Increases in antiviral ADEs paralleled increases in prescribing. Type and severity of ADEs were similar across all seasons.