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June 30, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Fight Flu Without Pain"

Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com) (06/30/03) P. F3; Allen, Jane E.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved FluMist, an influenza vaccine that is squirted up the nose instead of injected--a method that may appeal to patients who dislike needles and could possibly reduce the number of serious illnesses.  FluMist has only been approved for healthy patients ages five to 49 years, with further tests to be made before the approval can be widened, but public health officials hope that the new option will also reduce shortages of the injectable vaccine.  FluMist is made from weakened live viruses and will cost approximately $46 instead of the $10 to $15 of the injectable vaccine, but Dr. Jay M. Lieberman, head of pediatric infectious diseases at Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., also notes that because FluMist "is a live viral vaccine that replicates in the nose ... you get more local immunity."  The federal Vaccine for Children program has apparently not yet said how much it will cover FluMist for public health use in the upcoming influenza season.