Nasal vaccine to prevent seasonal flu approved in Canada

The first nasal vaccine to prevent seasonal flu has been approved in Canada. AstraZeneca Canada announced today that Health Canada has approved FluMist.

The vaccine is administered as a gentle mist sprayed into the nose. The needle-free administration method allows the vaccine to enter the body the same way that the influenza virus does inducing protective immunity. The nasal spray has shown to be more effective than injectable vaccine in children guarding in late outbreaks of infection. In Canada only 31.7 percent of the population over 12 were vaccinated against the flu in 2008, despite the World's Health Organization's recommendation that vaccine is the most effective way to prevent seasonal flu. "Seasonal influenza remains the most common vaccine-preventable disease in the developed world. Despite the fact that the flu is a serious illness that in addition to causing people to miss significant time at work, school and with their families and friends can sometimes lead to death, we continue to see low vaccination rates here in Canada," says Dr. David Greenberg, general practitioner, Toronto in a press release. "With the introduction of FluMist, it's encouraging to see another vaccine option to help reduce the overall burden of seasonal flu in Canada."