At-home nasal spray flu vaccine coming next year
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A nasal spray flu vaccine for people up to 49 will be available for home use starting in the fall of 2025 after the Food and Drug Administration expanded its approval of AstraZeneca's FluMist.
Why it matters: It will be the first flu vaccine that doesn't need to be administered by a health provider and will be sold direct to consumers for home use via an online pharmacy.
- A needle-free vaccine that doesn't require a trip to the doctor's office or pharmacy could improve flu protection at a time when influenza vaccinations have been falling. FluMist will also still be available through physicians and pharmacies.
What they're saying: The spray offers "greater convenience, flexibility and accessibility for individuals and families," said Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
- "Each year, influenza poses a significant burden for people, society and health systems; additional tools to increase access to vaccinations, while also reducing disparities, are critical," Northwestern University infectious diseases expert Ravi Jhaveri said in a statement.
Catch up quick: FluMist, which is sprayed directly into the nose, features weakened versions of influenza strains.
- The FDA first approved it in 2003 for people ages 5 to 49, later expanding the approval to kids as young as 2 years old.
In the D2C arrangement, the online pharmacy will determine patient eligibility, write the prescription for FluMist and ship it directly to the patient's home.
- AstraZeneca and the FDA say a caregiver should administer the at-home spray for kids under 18.
What we're watching: Whether the new flexibilities actually increase flu vaccine uptake.
- About 47% of adults got flu vaccines during the most recent flu season, according to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention. Vaccination rates have dropped since 2020.
- As many as 54 million flu cases occurred during the 2022-2023 season, with up to 650,000 hospitalizations, the federal government estimates.
