Influenza Vaccines

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) yesterday announced that it has awarded $215 million in contracts to two companies to further the development of recombinant technology, a move designed to improve and speed production of pandemic and seasonal flu vaccines.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) vaccine advisory group today voted to follow the World Health Organization's (WHO's) lead in keeping the current three strains for 2011-12 seasonal flu vaccine.

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee helps guide pharmaceutical companies that will be making seasonal flu vaccine for the US market.

Feb 24, 2011

Feb 23, 2011

Feb 22, 2011

Feb 21, 2011

(CIDRAP News) – Signaling that the current flu strains are likely to persist over the next several months, the World Health Organization (WHO) today recommended sticking with the current trio of vaccine strains for the Northern Hemisphere's next influenza season.

The WHO's vaccine strain advisory committee met on Feb 15 and 16 and released its recommendation on the WHO's Web site. The group recommends the following for next season's vaccine:

(CIDRAP News) – A cell-culture-derived influenza vaccine made by Baxter Bioscience provided about 71% protection against confirmed flu cases in young adults who participated in a large US clinical trial, a level similar to what has been seen with traditional egg-based vaccines, according to a report in The Lancet.

(CIDRAP News) – A federal vaccine advisory group meeting in Washington, DC, today unveiled a new national vaccination strategy for the next decade and reviewed the latest information on influenza vaccination in the first year of a new universal recommendation.

Feb 16, 2011