Neuraminidase inhibitors are effective against all variants that have caused disease in humans, including the virus of the 1918 pandemic (Tumpey 2005). In human H5N1 influenza, treatment with an oral neuraminidase inhibitor, oseltamivir, seems to be effective in some cases, but may fail in others.
A: An equity-indexed annuity is an alternative investment to a traditional fixed rate or variable rate annuity, and it may be appealing to moderately conservative investors. Equity-indexed annuities are distinguished by the interest yield return being partially based on an equities index, such as the S&P 500 index.
For example, if the change in the index is 8 percent, an annuity with a 70 percent participation rate could earn 5.6 percent. However, many annuities place upside caps on the index-linked interest, which limits returns in strong bull markets. If the market rose 15 percent, for example, an annuity with a cap rate of 6 percent would only be credited with that amount. In some cases, seniors were encouraged them to ditch their old variable annuities at significant expense to fund purchases of indexed annuities.