ATLANTA (AP) - Children as young as 2 can be given a nasal spray flu
vaccine, a federal advisory panel said Wednesday.
Government advice now recommends only traditional shots for children younger
than 5. But recent studies have shown the vaccine FluMist, made by
Maryland-based MedImmune Inc., to be safe and effective in kids as young as 2.
FluMist was initially approved in 2003 for use in healthy people ages 5 to
49. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month approved its use for the 2
to 5 age group as well.
Now, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises
government health officials, is recommending FluMist's use for kids in the 2 to
5 age bracket. Committee members said Wednesday that children with a history of
asthma or wheezing should opt for a shot.
Recommendations by the panel usually are accepted by U.S. health officials,
and they influence insurance companies' decisions on vaccination coverage.
The committee didn't recommend FluMist over flu shots, merely making it an
option for young children who may dread a shot with a needle. Flu shots are
still recommended for children ages 6 months to 5 years and those 50 and over as
well as other groups at risk for flu complications.
The committee also voted that a government program that pays for vaccines
extend its FluMist coverage to the younger age group, meaning more than 5
million children will now be eligible for free FluMist. That includes children
eligible for Medicaid, members of Native American and Alaska Native groups, and
some children who don't have insurance that covers the vaccination.
"This is a significant step forward in our vision to have a significant
impact on influenza disease in all age groups," said Frank Malinoski,
MedImmune's senior vice president for medical and scientific affairs.
MedImmune is a wholly owned subsidiary of London-based AstraZeneca PLC. The
company had $36 million in FluMist sales last year, and has made about 4.5
million doses for the current flu season, a company spokeswoman said.
A dose of FluMist costs about $18, roughly the cost of a flu shot. One dose
is recommended annually, but if it's the first time a young child was ever
vaccinated against flu, two doses should be given, spaced at least a month
apart.
The committee also discussed a proposal to recommend flu vaccinations for
all school-age children.
Health officials believe vaccinating more children would reduce the spread
of flu in general as well as protecting the students themselves. But experts say
they're concerned about the strain on pediatricians and schools if they tried to
give annual flu shots to so many children.
The discussion was tabled until the committee's next meeting in February.
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