Neuraminidase is a kind of glycosidoprotein, it resides the surface of influenza virus A and B-, and plays a key part in the process of virus duplication and infection.
And type A's can be divided into further sub-categories, depending on the subtypes of two proteins present on their surface: hemagglutinin, 'H', and neuraminidase, 'N'.
Sold under the names Tamiflu and Rolenza, these drugs have been said to work by blocking the protein neuraminidase that viruses use to escape their host cells.
After reviewing 46 studies performed on 24,000 people who have taken Tamiflu or Ralenza, a medical nonprofit known as the Cochrane Collaboration found that NAIs don't reduce the risk that you'll catch the flu.
Since the study came out, officials have defended their decisions by saying that NAIs were better than nothing at all, which may in fact be true, but transparent science would have been a lot better.