[Source – everydayhealth]
On September 20, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a groundbreaking move by approving the first-ever at-home flu vaccine, FluMist, a nasal spray that allows adults and caregivers to vaccinate themselves or others. This approval marks a significant shift in flu vaccination, offering a more accessible, needle-free option for flu prevention.
A New Era for Flu Vaccination
FluMist, which has been available since 2003, was previously only administered by healthcare providers. The nasal spray is unique because it contains a live-attenuated (weakened) version of the flu virus. This is in contrast to traditional flu shots, which contain an inactivated or dead form of the virus. Although FluMist contains live virus particles, it cannot cause influenza illness. Its effectiveness is on par with the flu shot, providing about 45% protection, compared to the 40-60% effectiveness range of the injection.
Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Vaccine Education Center, explains that the virus in FluMist is designed to reproduce only in the nasal passage, where it is cooler than the rest of the body. “It reproduces itself in the nose, but it doesn’t reproduce itself in the lungs,” he says, ensuring that the virus does not lead to an actual infection.
Availability of At-Home FluMist
While the approval is a major step forward, consumers will need to wait until the 2025 flu season before the self-administered version becomes available. Until then, those who prefer FluMist can still receive it at pharmacies and doctor’s offices, where it must be administered by a healthcare professional. AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of FluMist, is working to gather more data on the effectiveness of self-administration, which will determine the widespread rollout of the product.
“People use nasal sprays like Flonase all the time, so this is going to be a relatively easy process,” says Dr. Davey Smith, chief of infectious diseases and global public health at the University of California, San Diego. According to Smith, in clinical trials, 100% of adults were able to successfully administer the full dose of FluMist to themselves without assistance.
Who Can Use FluMist?
FluMist is approved for individuals between the ages of 2 and 49, making it a suitable option for children and adults alike. However, certain groups should avoid FluMist. People with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and individuals over 50 are advised against using the nasal spray due to potential health risks. Additionally, children between 2 and 17 who take aspirin should avoid live-attenuated vaccines like FluMist because of an increased risk of Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition.
For most people, however, FluMist offers a safe, effective, and now even more convenient method of flu prevention. The nasal spray has mild side effects, including a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sore throat for adults, with fever more commonly observed in young children.
A Boost for Vaccination Rates
Public health experts are optimistic that the approval of FluMist for at-home use could help increase Flu vaccine rates, which have been declining since the COVID-19 pandemic. With its ease of use and needle-free application, FluMist is seen as a potential game-changer for children, people who are afraid of needles, and anyone looking for a quick, simple way to protect themselves from the flu.
“This should make it more likely that people will get the flu vaccine,” says Offit, “and that will only help increase overall vaccination rates.”
