Category: Flu Vaccine

March 8, 2024 On March 5, 2024, the FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) met to discuss and make recommendations on the vaccine viruses for U.S. flu vaccines for the 2024-2025 flu season. The Committee recommended that all 2024-2025 U.S. flu vaccines be three-component (trivalent) vaccines and include an influenza A(H1N1), an A(H3N2) and a B/Victoria-lineage vaccine virus. Because influenza B/Yamagata viruses, which are included in current four-component (quadrivalent) flu vaccines, are no longer actively circulating, their inclusion in flu vaccines is no longer warranted.

Flu places a substantial health burden on the United States each year, sickening millions, hospitalizing hundreds of thousands and killing thousands to tens of thousands. Flu vaccines have been recommended in the United States for more than 50 years and have been shown to reduce the risk of flu and its potentially serious complications in people who get vaccinated. CDC recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older with rare exception.

The composition of U.S. flu vaccines is reviewed annually, and new flu vaccines are manufactured each year. From the 1958-1959 through 1977-1978 flu seasons, the number of vaccine viruses included in U.S. flu vaccines varied. From the 1978-1979 through 2012-2013 seasons, U.S. flu vaccines were trivalent. During those 35 seasons, flu vaccines included three vaccine viruses: an influenza A(H1N1), an A(H3N2), and a B-lineage vaccine virus (either from the B/Yamagata or B/Victoria lineage). Quadrivalent flu vaccines became available in the United States during the 2013-2014 flu season. These vaccines contained a fourth componenta second influenza B virusin order to protect against both lineages of influenza B viruses. Quadrivalent flu vaccines were available in the United States from 2013-2014 to the current flu season (2023-2024). However, influenza B/Yamagata viruses have not been detected to be actively circulating in global surveillance after March 2020, and therefore, their inclusion in flu vaccines is no longer warranted.

According to an FDA statement: FDA has been engaging and interacting with manufacturers of FDA-approved seasonal flu vaccines and providing scientific and regulatory advice to them to facilitate the timely availability of approved safe and effective trivalent seasonal flu vaccines for the 2024-2025 U.S. flu season. FDA anticipates that there will be an adequate and diverse supply of approved trivalent seasonal flu vaccines for the United States in the coming season.

Each year CDC publishes recommendations for the use of flu vaccines in the United States based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The annual recommendations for the 2024-2025 flu vaccine are expected to publish in August 2024.

Originally posted here:

US Will Transition to Trivalent Flu Vaccines for 2024-2025 - CDC

Infectious disease doctor explains recommended change to flu shot formula

Updated: 5:03 PM EST Mar 5, 2024

WALK TO GET THAT ICE CREAM INSTEAD OF KEEPING IT IN YOUR FREEZER AND JUST MOMENTS AGO, VACCINE EXPERTS FOR THE FDA VOTED TO RECOMMEND A BIG CHANGE IN THE FORMULA FOR THE ANNUAL FLU SHOT THIS FALL. SO HERE TO EXPLAIN IS DOCTOR TODD ELLEN. HES THE CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. HES A FAMILIAR FACE HERE ON NEWSCENTER FIVE. GREAT TO SEE YOU DOCTOR. TO SEE YOU. SO LETS TALK ABOUT THAT. LETS SET THIS THING UP FOR OUR VIEWERS OKAY. THERE ARE THERE ARE TWO STRAINS OF THE FLU RIGHT. A AND B THATS RIGHT. AND EACH OF THOSE HAS SUBTYPES. CORRECT. AND IN MOST RECENT WEEK OF DATA WITH NEARLY 2400 PEOPLE HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS TESTED POSITIVE FOR INFLUENZA A AND ABOUT 589 FOR INFLUENZA B. SO WHY ARE HEALTH OFFICIALS INTERESTED IN CHANGING THE RECIPE FOR THE SHOT? SO THIS IS FASCINATING. SINCE 2012, WEVE GIVEN PATIENTS WHAT WE CALL THE QUADRIVALENT FLU SHOT. TWO AS AND TWO BS, TWO AS AND TWO BS. BUT SOMETHING FUNNY HAPPENED WITH COVID FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. SINCE MARCH OF 2020, ONE OF THOSE B SUBTYPES CALLED YAMAGATA OKAY, HAS DISAPPEARED. WE HAVENT DISAPPEARED. WE HAVENT SEEN IT IN FOUR YEARS, SO IT MAY BE EXTINCT. WELL, I WAS GOING TO SAY, DOES FOUR YEARS SUGGEST IT MAY BE EXTINCT? BY DEFINITION, YOU USUALLY SAY AFTER TWO YEARS, IF YOU DONT SEE IT, ITS OKAY. BUT BUT YOU KNOW, SO. SO WHAT THE FDA IS BASICALLY SAYING IS WE DONT WE SHOULD REMOVE THIS STRAIN THAT WAS NEEDED FOR MANY YEARS. BUT ITS NOT NEEDED NOW BECAUSE WERE NOT SEEING IT. WE DONT WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A STRAIN THATS DISAPPEARED GLOBALLY. COULD THIS ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN A BENEFIT FROM COVID OR. NO, YOU CANT. WERE NOT GOING TO GO THAT FAR. LISTEN, I THINK ITS A SILVER LINING. SILVER LINING. YES. SO WHAT IF THE STRAIN COMES BACK AND IM GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? NEVER UNDERESTIMATE INFLUENZA. IT COULD BE EXTINCT. BUT REMEMBER, WE SURVEIL, WE DO SURVEILLANCE AROUND THE GLOBE. BUT IN TROPICAL COUNTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE NOT QUITE AS GOOD. SO IT COULD BE HIDING OUT SOMEWHERE. IF IT COMES BACK, THEN THE FDA IS GOING TO BE MEETING AGAIN AND GOING TO MAKE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. YEAH. SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THE EASY PART IS SAYING TO REMOVE THIS OKAY. AND THE FDA WAS UNANIMOUS ABOUT THIS. BUT BUT A LITTLE BIT HARDER PART IS THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES IS ACTUALLY CHANGING FROM THE QUADRIVALENT TO THE TRIVALENT. IT SOUNDS EASY, BUT ITS NOT QUITE AS EASY AS REMOVING BLUEBERRIES FROM YOUR OATMEAL. THEY HAVE TO DO A LOT OF STEPS. ITS A GOOD ANALOGY. YEAH, THERES A LOT OF QUALITY MANUFACTURING THEYVE GOT. AND REMEMBER, ITS NOT JUST THE US, BUT ITS GLOBALLY. SO BUT THEYRE GOING TO DO THEIR BEST TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THIS NE

Infectious disease doctor explains recommended change to flu shot formula

Updated: 5:03 PM EST Mar 5, 2024

After FDA vaccine experts vote to recommend a change to the annual flu shot, Dr. Todd Ellerin explains the reason and the potential implications.

After FDA vaccine experts vote to recommend a change to the annual flu shot, Dr. Todd Ellerin explains the reason and the potential implications.

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Infectious disease doctor explains recommended change to flu shot formula - WCVB Boston

Colorized transmission electron micrograph showing H1N1 influenza virus particles. (Photo by: NIH/NAID/IMAGE.FR/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - The first child to die from influenza in Michigan was confirmed by the health department.

The child contracted influenza A(H1N1), the health department said in a statement this week. It's one of 93 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there have been between 20,000-57,000 deaths associated with the flu this season.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is seeing a rise in influenza cases, currently, despite only 25.1% of the state's residents being vaccinated against the flu.

"These are tragedies that no family should ever have to endure," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. "Each year influenza claims the lives of dozens of children across the United States."

The health department used the opportunity to encourage others to get vaccinated. Anyone over six months of age is recommended to get the seasonal shot to reduce transmission and protect against severe symptoms.

Pregnant people are also encouraged to get vaccinated, protecting them and their baby.

According to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, the flu vaccine coverage for kids six months to 17 years is slightly lower than last year's coverage rate.

The flu isn't the only illness going around in Michigan.

The state is also working to contain possible exposure locations linked to measles cases. At least five in Southeast Michigan have been reported to the health department.

Cases have been reported in Wayne County and Washtenaw County.

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Michigan reports first influenza-associated death in children as vaccine coverage dips - AOL

(Precision Vaccinations News)

CSL Seqirus today announced that it is fully equipped to deliver its influenza vaccine portfolio for the 2024-2025 U.S. season.

The new vaccine will be based on the trivalent strains recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which confirmed the viral strain selection in a March 5, 2024 meeting.

Furthermore, CSL Seqirus has already received FDA approvalfor its U.S. trivalent influenza vaccines.

"CSL Seqirus applauds the VRBPAC's commitment to providing a clear, evidence-backed recommendation to the FDA so that the composition of seasonal influenza vaccines for the upcoming season will be formulated to match projected circulating strains, based on the WHO's ongoing surveillance," said Gregg Sylvester, CSL Seqirus's Chief Health Officer and Head of Medical Affairs, in a press release.

"In addition to implementing this change, we are committed to working with our partners in public health to reverse the alarming decline in immunization rates and vaccine confidence that we have seen over the past two flu seasons."

The strain selection for the 2024/25 influenza season reflects the removal of B/Yamagata, which will not be included in the vaccines manufactured and delivered by CSL Seqirus.

This selection is in accordance with the February 2024 World Health Organizationrecommendations and is identical to the Southern Hemisphere 2024 flu season, which usually occurs between April and September.

On March 4, 2024, the WHOpublishedInfluenza UpdateN 466,confirminginfluenza detections have recentlydecreased in the Northern Hemisphere.

"This strain consistency across hemispheres will support both speed and efficiency, as CSL Seqirus has experience manufacturing these recommended strains," commentedDave Ross, Vice President of North America Commercial Operations, CSL Seqirus.

Across the globe, CSL Seqirus is collaborating with regulatory bodies and public health authorities on an appropriate transition timeline for each country, which aims to ensure a smooth transition, increase vaccine confidence, and improve immunization rates.

CSL Seqirusisone of the largest influenza vaccine providers in the world. It utilizes egg, cell,and adjuvant technologies to offer a broad portfolio of differentiated influenza vaccines in more than 20 countries worldwide.

As of late February 2024, the U.S. CDC reported over158millionflu vaccineshad beendistributedduring the 2023-2024 season.

Various flu shots remain available at most pharmacies in the U.S.

Originally posted here:

Trivalent Influenza Vaccines Will Be Delivered for the 2024-2025 Flu Season - Precision Vaccinations

A type of flu virus that used to sicken people every year hasn't been spotted anywhere on Earth since March 2020. As such, experts have advised that the apparently extinct viruses be removed from next year's flu vaccines.

The now-extinct viruses were a branch of the influenza B family tree known as the Yamagata lineage. Scientists first reported the apparent disappearance of Yamagata viruses in 2021. At that time, experts speculated that precautions taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 such as masking and social distancing had not only driven the overall number of flu cases to historic lows but may have completely snuffed out this type of flu virus.

Now, according to news reports, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unanimously agreed that Yamagata viruses should be dropped from the flu shot formulation for the 2024-2025 flu season. For the past decade, U.S. flu vaccines have protected against four types of flu two influenza A strains and two influenza B strains but that number will now fall to three.

The advisory committee has been pushing for this change for some time, STAT reported, and in fall 2023, the World Health Organization raised the same recommendation on a global scale.

Related: Is it too late to get a flu shot?

Dropping Yamagata from flu shot formulations could help boost manufacturers' production capacity, so they can make more doses. Plus, it would eliminate any potential risks associated with growing the virus in a lab a process currently required to make flu vaccines, CNN reported.

And at baseline, experts emphasized that people needn't be vaccinated for something that appears to be extinct, STAT reported.

"We don't want to vaccinate you for a virus that's no longer in circulation for three, four years now," Dr. Hana El Sahly, a professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine and chair of the FDA advisory committee, said at a meeting Tuesday (March 5).

"We've been talking about this for four years," Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the FDA advisory committee, told CNN.

Despite the consensus among health officials, leaders in the pharmaceutical industry argued that manufacturers would need more time to switch to a trivalent formulation. Making the switch requires manufacturers to clear various regulatory hurdles. But with the FDA advisers pushing ahead, manufacturers are prepared to make trivalent vaccines for the U.S. starting this upcoming season; other countries will likely follow later, in accordance with their regulatory policies, STAT reported.

According to CNN, Jerry Weir, director of the FDA's Division of Viral Products, confirmed at the meeting Tuesday that all U.S. flu shot manufacturers have submitted the required regulatory paperwork and should be on track to make trivalent vaccines next season.

As these changes take effect, scientists around the world will continue to watch out for Yamagata alongside other flu viruses that infect people.

Ever wonder why some people build muscle more easily than others or why freckles come out in the sun? Send us your questions about how the human body works to community@livescience.com with the subject line "Health Desk Q," and you may see your question answered on the website!

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A branch of the flu family tree has died and won't be included in future US vaccines - Livescience.com

LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) The first pediatric death linked to influenza in Michigan this season has been confirmed, the state health department said on Friday.

The child contracted influenza A, H1N1, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said. At least 93 flu-related pediatric deaths have been reported this season nationwide.

These are tragedies that no family should ever have to endure, said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigans chief medical executive in a statement. Each year influenza claims the lives of dozens of children across the United States. This is why MDHHS continues to strongly recommend that everyone six months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine. Its the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick and reduces illness severity if someone does get the flu.

According to MDHHS, Michigan is seeing a rise in influenza cases right now.

Over the past few years, we have been seeing a late spike of flu cases at the end of the season, which is unusual," said Dr. Hassan Akel, an emergency room physician based in metro Detroit.

Since October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates nationally, there have been at least:

MDHHS say 25.1% of Michigan residents are vaccinated against the flu this season. You can find a flu vaccine near you by calling your health care provider, your local health department or at vaccines.gov. More information about the flu in Michigan can be found on the states website.

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First influenza-linked child death reported in Michigan this season, MDHHS says - WXYZ 7 Action News Detroit

NEW YORK (AP) Early estimates suggest flu shots are performing OK in the current U.S. winter flu season.

The vaccines were around 40% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctors office, clinic or hospital, health officials said during a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccines meeting Wednesday. Children who were vaccinated were roughly 60% less likely to get treatment at a doctors office or hospital, CDC officials said.

Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective.

The shots tend to do better when they are well matched against the circulating flu strains. Officials say thats whats happened during this relatively typical flu season.

Annual flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older in the U.S. About half of eligible kids and just under half of adults got flu shots in the last several months, according to CDC data.

The CDC uses several systems to track the vaccines. One is a network of hospitals that offer information on how well the vaccines prevent flu-related illnesses bad enough to require admission. Another draws on outpatient data from urgent care clinics and hospital emergency departments.

Estimates from four different surveillance systems were presented at Wednesdays meeting of a committee that advises the CDC on vaccines. The findings were reported as ranges, but their midpoints hovered close to 40% for adults and around 60% for children.

The adult effectiveness estimate is similar to what CDC initially reported for last flu season. The shots proved less effective in some other recent seasons, the results influenced by what virus strain was dominating and how well the vaccines were matched to it.

One committee member expressed disappointment at recent effectiveness findings.

There seems to be diminishing returns for annual influenza immunization, said Dr. Sarah Long, of Drexel University.

Long asked whether repeated vaccinations, year-after-year, might be leading to lower immune system responses. A CDC official said some researchers have been exploring that question, so far without conclusive results.

One thing that does seem to arise consistently from these things is that in general you are better off if you got vaccinated than if you didnt, said the CDCs Dr. Lisa Grohskopf.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Flu shots are doing OK vs. virus, US numbers indicate - The Associated Press

This season’s influenza shots have so far been 42 percent effective, which is consistent with recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said this week.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released the details of the 2023-24 season vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates Thursday. Among children, the vaccine was 52 to 61 percent effective in preventing flu-associated hospitalizations. It was 41 to 44 percent effective against preventing adult flu hospitalizations.

“These findings indicated that the 2023-24 seasonal influenza vaccine is effective at reducing the risk of influenza-associated outpatient visits and hospitalization,” the CDC said in its report.

The strains selected to be targeted by the flu vaccine are changed each year as authorities seek the best updates to stop the virus.

This season, the vaccine targeted both influenza A and B, and the committee said it was effective at combating both viruses.

“We’re right in the range that we typically see when the vaccine is a good match with the viruses that are circulating. Good VE, and it’s working consistent with past years,” Sascha Ellington, head of the CDC’s flu prevention and control team, said in a statement to CBS News.

The CDC recommends all eligible people 6 months and older receive an annual flu shot.

Continued here:

CDC: Flu shots 42 percent effective this season, consistent with past years - The Hill

Flu vaccine appears to be offering reasonable levels of protection this winter, with particularly strong levels in children, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest.

The vaccine effectiveness estimates, which showed unusually robust protection for children against influenza B viruses but more modest protection for people ages 65 and older against influenza A viruses, were presented Wednesday at a meeting of the CDCs expert vaccine panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The figures were based on data from four national databases, and a separate analysis from California.

This flu season is ongoing and these estimates are preliminary. The CDC will reassess the vaccines effectiveness later in the year, after the season ends. That said, flu activity appeared to peak over the Christmas holidays, and has been declining slowly since then. The CDC has assessed this flu season as being of moderate severity.

In children, the vaccine effectiveness against any type of flu infection requiring medical care ranged from 59% to 67%, depending on the database. Protection against illness serious enough to require hospitalization ranged from 52% to 61%.

The vaccine effectiveness in children against influenza A H1N1 viruses the type that has predominated this flu season ranged from 54% to 61% against flu infection requiring medical care and between 64% and 89% in protecting against infection with influenza B. Flu B viruses have made up a minority of circulating viruses this year, though they have been seen more commonly in the past few weeks.

In all adults, the vaccines appeared to offer strong protection against flu B virus, with a vaccine effectiveness of 78% against illness requiring medical care and 60% against illness serious enough to require hospitalization. Robust protection was even seen in adults aged 65 and older, a group in whom flu can cause serious illness but in whom vaccines may not generate as much protection as they do in younger adults.

The effectiveness of the vaccines against H1N1 viruses was lower, estimated to be 25% against any illness requiring medical care and 50% against flu requiring hospitalization in all adults. The vaccine appeared to be somewhat more effective in adults 65 and older, who are recommended to get specially formulated shots that either contain a high dose of vaccine or include an adjuvant, a boosting compound.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated against flu annually. But vaccine uptake has been declining since the Covid-19 pandemic. The CDC estimates that 51% of children and 48% of adults have received flu vaccine this year, with the rate among people ages 65 and older at nearly 74%.

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Flu vaccine offering decent levels of protection this winter, new data show - STAT

TOPLINE:

Young children with October birthdays may be better protected against flu, a new study shows. Children tend to receive vaccinations at regular preventive visits the month they were born, and October happens to be an optimal time to get the flu vaccine, the researchers said.

"The findings support current recommendations that children be vaccinated in October preceding a typical influenza season," the authors of the study wrote.

Anupam B. Jena, MD, PhD, with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, was the corresponding author on the study. The research was published online on February 21 in BMJ.

The availability of the influenza vaccine and the peak of seasonal flu infections vary by year and region.

Researchers disclosed consulting fees from pharmaceutical and healthcare companies unrelated to the study.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

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Does an October Birthday Protect Kids From Flu? - Medscape