British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca applied on Tuesday for permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market a self-administered, needle-free nasal spray vaccine for annual flu protection.
FluMist is the only nasal spray vaccine on the market and has a comparable efficacy rate to traditional injection vaccines for those under the age of 50, who are less at risk of experiencing serious illness due to influenza. Over 200 million doses of FluMist have been sold worldwide since it was first approved in the United States in 2003.
"Vaccination rates for children and adults under 50 years of age declined in the 2022-2023 flu season, highlighting a need for more accessible solutions," said Ravi Jhaveri, Pediatric Infectious Diseases division head at the Children's Hospital of Chicago. "The ability for individuals and parents to choose where to administer an injection-free flu vaccine could help increase access and, subsequently, vaccination rates," Jhaveri said.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER