AstraZeneca Influenza Vaccine FluMist Gets Health Canada Approval

FluMist allows the vaccine to enter the nose, where the influenza virus usually enters the body, inducing protective immunity.

AstraZeneca said that in clinical studies FluMist was effective against matched and mismatched strains in children two to 17 years of age and guards against late outbreaks of infection, compared to injectable vaccine.

In children two to five years of age, FluMist reduced the number of influenza cases by more than 50%, compared to the injectable vaccine.

David Greenberg, general practitioner in Toronto, said: “With the introduction of FluMist, it’s encouraging to see another vaccine option to help reduce the overall burden of seasonal flu in Canada.

“FluMist is sprayed directly into the nose which simplifies the vaccination process for both healthcare professional and patient, particularly children. Parents won’t have to worry about their children being afraid of the needle and can be reassured by the data that supports the effectiveness of FluMist.”