News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Experts are puzzled by a new study in which influenza vaccination seemed to provide little or no protection against flu in the 2010-11 season—and in which the only participants who seemed to benefit from the vaccine were those who hadn't been vaccinated the season before.

(CIDRAP News) – New European studies reported today in Eurosurveillance suggest that this year's influenza vaccine is providing good protection against influenza B viruses but only moderate protection against type A—findings more or less consistent with earlier results in the United States.

(CIDRAP News) – A recent set of articles in Vaccine has confirmed previous preliminary reports that young children who received influenza shots in the 2010-11 flu season had a slightly increased risk of a febrile seizure after vaccination, especially if they received a new pneumococcal vaccine at the same time.

Editor’s Note: This article covers research conducted in part by CIDRAP researchers. Please note that CIDRAP News operates independently in relation to CIDRAP's research and policy programs.

See also: Public health groups say flu vaccine is best tool, despite limitations