|
MedImmune's FluMist
nasal Flu vaccine safe According to Study
December 6th
2005
|
 |
|
FluMist deemed
safe |
|
According to the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
only 460 patients had adverse side effects after using the FluMist flu
vaccine. This is out of 2.5 million users in the United States. Only
40 were considered serious problems. These serious conditions include
breathing problems in asthma patients and some had life threatening
allergic reactions.
FluMist became available two years ago and is intended for healthy
people between the ages of 5 and 49. The researchers conclude this type
of vaccine is safe when used as directed.
The study appeared in Wednesdays Journal of the American Medical
Association. It was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These two agencies
operate the VAERS system.
When this new technique for vaccination was first introduced there were
concerns because unlike regular vaccines the FluMist used live but
weakened viruses. This was the reason it was not recommended for people
with the highest risk of complications.
There were only 73 reports of possible side effects in patients that
should not have been given the flu mist in the first place. According
to the FDA this is just a small subset and that the “system is
working”. It is believed the FluMist works as well as regular
vaccination injections.
The FluMist is squirted into the nose by a health care practitioner.
There were three reports of anaphylactic events (this event may close
the upper airway), but the most common side effect was an allergic
reaction. There were 54 instances of this. It is not recommended for
everyone and is approved for people between the ages of 5 and 49 who
don’t have asthma, egg allergies, pregnant or a chronic disease.
By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer
Books about the Flu
Keywords and misspellings: bird influenenza
influenza flu H5N1 H1N5 vaccination vacination vacine vaxine
|
RSS Feed to our health
content
