CNN
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The US Meals and Drug Administration on Friday accredited the primary flu vaccine that doesn’t must be administered by a well being care supplier, however it gained’t be obtainable in time for this respiratory virus season.
FluMist is a nasal spray manufactured by AstraZeneca that has been used to guard in opposition to influenza in the US since 2003. It’s at present obtainable in pharmacies and different well being care settings for individuals ages 2 to 49 who’ve a prescription.
Friday’s approval from the FDA provides a second possibility for these eligible to obtain the vaccine: It may be taken at dwelling, by means of self-administration by adults or to youngsters with the assistance of a caregiver.
AstraZeneca plans to make the vaccine obtainable for self-administration by means of a third-party on-line pharmacy, which can prescribe and ship the vaccine after reviewing a screening and eligibility evaluation. It expects this feature to be obtainable in time for the beginning of subsequent yr’s respiratory virus season.
“At present’s approval of the primary influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration gives a brand new possibility for receiving a protected and efficient seasonal influenza vaccine probably with better comfort, flexibility and accessibility for people and households,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Heart for Biologics Analysis and Analysis, mentioned in a press release.
“Getting vaccinated every year is one of the best ways to stop influenza, which causes sickness in a considerable proportion of the U.S. inhabitants yearly and should end in severe issues, together with hospitalization and loss of life,” he mentioned. “This approval provides an alternative choice for vaccination in opposition to influenza illness and demonstrates the FDA’s dedication to advancing public well being.”
The flu brought about no less than 35 million diseases, 400,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths within the 2023-24 season, in line with estimates from the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. The CDC recommends vaccination for everybody ages 6 months and older every season. However uptake has fallen lately; final season, solely about half of adults and kids obtained their annual flu vaccine.
FluMist is the one needle-free possibility obtainable for flu vaccination within the US. It makes use of a stay, weakened model of the influenza virus to supply safety, however injectable variations use totally different expertise: both killed viruses or proteins to coach the immune system to struggle off the virus. AstraZeneca says FluMist has been proven to be as efficient as different flu vaccines.
When the FDA introduced final yr that it was reviewing the potential for a self-administered flu vaccine, physicians told CNN that they welcomed extra accessible choices however didn’t anticipate that self-administration would change vaccination charges considerably.
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Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown College College of Public Well being and the previous White Home Covid-19 response coordinator, mentioned on the time {that a} self-administered flu vaccine possibility may very well be much more accessible if it have been that can be purchased on pharmacy cabinets, moderately than by means of a gatekeeper.
However he famous as many as 10% to fifteen% of individuals could also be needle-phobic and hesitant to get vaccines, so rising methods to entry a needle-free model might increase uptake.
“I feel the impression goes to be modest,” he mentioned of the likelihood. However he mentioned he hoped it to would result in elevated consciousness, probably by means of extra advertising and marketing from AstraZeneca, or extra analysis into extra intranasal vaccines which are simpler to get. “I see this as a comparatively constructive step.”
CNN’s Meg Tirrell contributed to this report.