FDA Approves New Flu Vaccine
By: WROC-TV
Updated: January 18, 2013
The FDA says it has approved a new flu vaccine that is made without eggs or the influenza virus.
The vaccine called "Flublok" is permitted for use in people 18 to 49 years old to prevent seasonal flu.
The agency says the vaccine was created using DNA technology and an insect virus. The FDA says the new technology offers the potential for faster start-up of the vaccine manufacturing process in the event of a pandemic, "you don't need to do any adapting into eggs so the protien you make is a much more authentic example of what's actually causing disease," explained Dr. John Treanor, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Rochester Medical Center, "and so the immune response might be better."
Possible side effects include headache, fatigue and muscle aches. These symptoms are also typical for the conventional vaccine.
The vaccine called "Flublok" is permitted for use in people 18 to 49 years old to prevent seasonal flu.
The agency says the vaccine was created using DNA technology and an insect virus. The FDA says the new technology offers the potential for faster start-up of the vaccine manufacturing process in the event of a pandemic, "you don't need to do any adapting into eggs so the protien you make is a much more authentic example of what's actually causing disease," explained Dr. John Treanor, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Rochester Medical Center, "and so the immune response might be better."
Possible side effects include headache, fatigue and muscle aches. These symptoms are also typical for the conventional vaccine.
Dr. Treanor says all the initial studies that showed Flublok was safe and effective were done in Rochester.
