It’s getting a whole lot easier for the flu vaccine to save lives, thanks to a newly approved home version of a popular nasal vaccine.
According to the CDC, the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of needing to go to the doctor for a case of flu by 40% to 60%. During 2019-2020, flu vaccinations prevented an estimated 7 million influenza illnesses, 3 million influenza-associated medical visits, 100,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations, and 7,000 influenza-associated deaths.
“Getting vaccinated each year is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness in a substantial proportion of the U.S. population every year and may result in serious complications, including hospitalization and death. This approval adds another option for vaccination against influenza disease and demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to advancing public health,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
The approval paves the way for another method of delivering the life-saving vaccine. AstraZeneca’s FluMist nasal vaccine has been in use for over 20 years.
“The approval of FluMist for self-administration is an important step forward in making vaccines more accessible to fight the high annual burden of influenza,” said Iskra Reic, AstraZeneca vaccines and immune therapies executive vice-president. “For more than 20 years, FluMist has been the only nasal spray flu vaccine licensed in the U.S. and now it is also the only vaccine to help individuals, families, and communities access an influenza vaccine conveniently through self and caregiver administration outside of traditional healthcare settings.”
The New York Times reports on the FDA’s authorization for self-administering the nasal flu vaccine. Here’s the start of the story.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized at-home use of FluMist, opening the door for needle-shy people to have easy access to a nasal spray vaccine that is potentially lifesaving.
The approval will allow, for the first time, an alternative to the annual flu shot that parents and caregivers can give to children and that adults can use on their own outside of a health-care setting. It would still require a prescription and is expected to be available from an online pharmacy next fall.
AstraZeneca, which makes the treatment, said it would start a FluMist Home website, where people can fill out a questionnaire that will be reviewed by a pharmacist before the treatment is shipped to a person’s home. The mist will remain available from prescribers as an in-office treatment. The current out-of-pocket cost for a dose is about $35 to $45, but may be less depending on insurance coverage.
“Today’s approval of the first influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration provides a new option for receiving a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine potentially with greater convenience, flexibility and accessibility for individuals and families,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the F.D.A.’s vaccine center, which authorized the at-home option.