FDA Sets 'Dramatic' Course Change for Next Year's Flu Vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to reformulate next year's flu vaccine to protect against three new and different strains, which could pose a major challenge for vaccine flu makers. This year, the vaccine proved has been less effective than hoped in many cases because of new strains that emerged. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) found that the current vaccine helps to prevent only about 40% of the virus now spreading in the United States. The Brisbane/10 strain, a version of H3N2, was a big culprit this year. The new vaccine next year would guard against the Brisbane/10, as well as a second new Type A strain, known as H1N1/Brisbane/59, and a newer Type B/Florida strain. Vaccine manufacturers will be expected to produce more than 100 million doses of this new vaccine by autumn. Typically the formula changes annually to include only one or two new strains.