CDC okays FluMist for 2018-2019 flu season

This year’s flu season is not quite over yet new plans are already underway for the next flu season starting this fall.  A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory committee voted last week to recommend, for a second time, FluMist, a nasal spray version of the influenza vaccine for use during the 2018-2019 flu season.

FluMist is the only needle-free and pain free flu vaccine available in the U.S.  Two years ago it was removed from use amid concerns over its effectiveness and poor performance against a common flu strain in children. 

However, the drug maker AstraZeneca, released the results of a small study suggesting the reformulated vaccine performed significantly better than it did two years ago.  FluMist which was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003, appeared to work well in the early years.  But a 2015-2016 influenza vaccine effectiveness study found FluMist to be overall 46% effective - with zero effectiveness against one strain of flu – compared with the flu shot’s overall 65% effectiveness.

The research which has changed the minds of the CDC showed positive results from a U.S. study in children between the ages of 2 and 4 years old evaluating their response to the H1N1 strain in the quadrivalent formula of the spray which protects against four different influenza viruses.  What the study showed was that the H1N1 strain in the 2017-2018 vaccine performed significantly better than the H1N1 strain in the 2015-2016 vaccine. 

FluMist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine.  The live viruses in FluMist  have been weakened but work by stimulating the immune system to recognize the flu virus.  Flu shots use an inactivated influenza vaccine.  FluMist had been a popular choice among those who hate needles, especially children. 

It is expected FluMist will be available in the U.S. for the 2018-2019 influenza season, pending annual strain approval from the FDA.