CDC OKs FluMist for 2018-19 Influenza Season

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee has voted 12-2 to recommend FluMist, the nasal spray version of the influenza vaccine, be used during the 2018-19 influenza (flu) season. FluMist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine licensed for use in otherwise healthy, nonpregnant people ages 2 years through 49 years. For the past two flu seasons, FluMist has not been recommended because of poor performance compared with the flu vaccine.

The decision was based on data from AstraZeneca, manufacturer of FluMist, that addressed a possible root cause of poor effectiveness against the influenza AH1N1 virus and a potential solution to address it, which includes using a different type of influenza AH1N1 virus in the vaccine. Specifically, AstraZeneca presented positive results from a U.S. study in children ages 2 years to 4 years that evaluated their responses to the H1N1 strain in the quadrivalent formula of the spray, which protects against four different influenza viruses. Results showed the H1N1 strain in the 2017-18 vaccine performed significantly better than the H1N1 strain in the 2015-16 vaccine.

Even though FluMist has not been recommended for the past two flu seasons, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has still approved it. The availability of FluMist in the U.S. for the 2018-19 influenza season is pending annual strain approval from FDA.