The first mRNA flu shot is now available, but not everyone is eligible.Moderna’s mFlusiva is the first flu vaccine in the United States to use messenger RNA technology, the same platform used in Pfizer and Moderna’s Covid shots.
Scientists have long been interested in using mRNA against the flu because the vaccines can be made faster, potentially making it easier to keep up with changing flu strains.It’s too early to predict how severe the upcoming flu season will be and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t started tracking cases yet.
The CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October.In a late-stage clinical trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May, mFlusiva was found to be about 27% more effective than a standard flu shot.
The Food and Drug Administration approved mFlusiva in August for people 50 and older, clearing the way for the shot to reach pharmacies in time for this year’s flu season.Pharmacies, however, say the new vaccine is already causing confusion among some patients about who can get it, how it compares with traditional flu shots and where people will be able to find it.Here’s what you need to know:Who can get the new mRNA flu shot?The mRNA vaccine is available only for people 50 and older.
“If you have not celebrated your 50th birthday, this vaccine should be of no interest to you,” said Emlah Tubuo, an independent pharmacist in Ohio.The FDA granted traditional approval for adults 50 to 64 and accelerated approval for people 65 and older, with Moderna required to conduct another trial in that age group.People who do not want the mRNA vaccine can still get a traditional flu shot.
The additional trial in adults 65 and older stems from a controversy that nearly derailed the vaccine’s approval.In a large clinical trial, Moderna compared mFlusiva with a standard-dose flu shot in people 65 and older, even though the CDC recommends a high-dose flu shot for that age group.The FDA initial...