FDA Approves First mRNA Flu Shot
The FDA has approved the first mRNA flu vaccine in the United States after a clinical trial found it was about 27% more effective than a standard flu shot. Manufactured by Moderna and marketed as mFlusiva, the vaccine is expected to be available this fall for adults ages 50 to 64 and those 65 and older, though approval for the older group is conditional on Moderna conducting an additional…
The FDA has granted approval for the United States' inaugural mRNA flu vaccine, following a clinical trial demonstrating its efficacy to be approximately 27% higher than that of a conventional flu shot. Produced by Moderna and branded as mFlusiva, the vaccine is anticipated to hit the market this fall for adults aged 50 to 64, as well as individuals 65 and older.
However, the latter group's approval hinges on Moderna conducting supplementary clinical trials, as reported by NBC News. The report highlights that numerous scientists and public health experts have championed the concept of an mRNA-based flu vaccine, which employs the same messenger RNA technology utilized in Moderna's and Pfizer's Covid vaccines.
This is due to the fact that mRNA vaccines can be produced considerably more swiftly than traditional vaccines, enabling scientists to more accurately align with prevalent influenza strains. Moderna asserts that the timeframe from selecting the strain to distributing its flu shot spans two to three months, in contrast to the approximately six months required for traditional flu shots.
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