Flulaval Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine

John Paul Sanchez, PharmD

A new study presented at a February 27, 2019 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), reported there is ‘no link between influenza vaccines and miscarriages.’

As reported by Helen Branswell with Stat News, this new finding contradicts a previous, small, observational study by the same researchers.

The new study was much larger and specifically designed to look at the flu shot-miscarriage relationship.

Additionally, earlier studies did not find a link between flu vaccination and miscarriage.

This means the ACIP committee, which guides vaccine policy for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has not changed the recommendation for influenza vaccination of pregnant women.

The CDC and ACIP recommended that pregnant women get a flu vaccine during any trimester of their pregnancy because flu poses a danger to pregnant women and a flu vaccine can prevent influenza.

“For women who are wondering if it’s safe to get a vaccine in early pregnancy, we can say unequivocally, ‘Yes, it is safe,’” said Dr. Edward Belongia, who was part of the research team and who heads the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health at Wisconsin’s Marshfield Clinic.

The CDC does say the influenza virus is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women of reproductive age who are not pregnant.

This is because of changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women, and women up to 2 weeks postpartum, more prone to severe illness from flu, including illness resulting in hospitalization.

Recently, on February 21, 2018, the CDC released the updated 2019 child/adolescent/adult immunization schedules.

Key Changes for the Child/Adolescent Immunization Schedule are as follows:

MenHibrix (Hib-MenCy). This vaccine has been removed from the schedule as it is no longer available.
Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB). The HepB footnote was revised to include information regarding vaccination of infants weighing < 2000 g born to HBsAg-negative mothers. These infants are recommended to receive the birth dose of HepB at chronological age 1 month or hospital discharge.
Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR). The MMR footnote was updated to include guidance regarding the use of the third dose of mumps-containing vaccine during a mumps outbreak. Persons ≥ 12 months who previously received ≤ two doses of mumps-containing vaccine and are identified by public health authorities to be at increased risk during a mumps outbreak should receive a dose of mumps virus–containing vaccine.
Polio vaccine. The inactivated poliovirus rows of the catch-up schedule have been edited to clarify the catch-up recommendations for children 4 years of age and older, and the poliovirus vaccine footnote was revised to include updated guidance for persons who received oral polio vaccine as part of their vaccination series.
Rotavirus vaccine. The maximum ages for administration of the first dose (14 weeks, 6 days) and last dose (8 months, 0 days) of the rotavirus series have been added to the rotavirus vaccine row of the catch-up schedule.

Key Changes to the 2019 Adult Immunization Schedule Changes are as follows:

MMR: Administer one dose of MMR to adults who previously received ≤ two doses of mumps-containing vaccine and are identified by a public health authority to be at increased risk during a mumps outbreak.
Zoster vaccines: Administer two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV; Shingrix®) 2-6 months apart to adults age 50 years or older, regardless of a past episode of herpes zoster or receipt of zoster vaccine live (ZVL; Zostavax®).
- Note: ZVL has replaced the term HZV (herpes zoster vaccine) that was used in past adult immunization schedules to refer to the live zoster vaccine.
- In adults who previously received ZVL, administer two doses of RZV 6 months apart, at least 2 months after the dose of ZVL.
- For adults, age 60 years or older, administer either RZV or ZVL, though RZV is preferred.
Meningococcal vaccine. MPSV4 (4-valent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine) is no longer available and has been removed from the adult immunization schedule.

For further guidance on the use of each vaccine included in the schedules, healthcare providers should refer to specific ACIP vaccine recommendations.

In the USA, most pharmacies offer vaccination services. To schedule an appointment with a pharmacist visit this site.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides private sector vaccine prices for general information. Vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.

Sub Title:

CDC recommends influenza vaccination for pregnant women during any trimester

References:

New study finds no link between flu shots and miscarriages, allaying fears

Pregnant Women & Influenza

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

Vaccine Schedules Updated by the CDC

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Age Groups:

Google News Keywords:

health, vaccines, vaccinations, pregnant, flu, influenza, cdc,

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7th Largest City Offering Free Flu Shots

Don Hackett — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 15:27:37 +0000

Reviewer:

Kelley Lu, PharmD

Metro Health Offers Free Flu Vaccine on a First Come, First Serve Basis

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) wants to help prevent the spreading of influenza viruses by giving away free flu vaccinations.

According to a Metro Health press release published on January 7, 2019, free flu vaccines will be available at Metro Health’s immunizations clinics, while supplies last.

This statement indicates there is a limited supply of influenza vaccines available for free in San Antonio, Texas, which has a population over 1.5 million people.

To receive a free flu vaccine, please visit the Metro Health immunization clinics located at 210 N. Mel Waiters Way, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Or, visit 1226 NW 18th Street, by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For questions or to make an appointment, contact the immunization clinic at 210-207-8894.

“Getting the flu vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from influenza viruses,” says Dr. Anita Kurian, Assistant Director for Communicable Diseases, Metro Health.

“If you haven’t done so already, the time to get the vaccine is now, since we’re in the midst of flu season and the vaccine takes up to 2 weeks to protect you,” said Dr. Kurian.

Influenza vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body which then provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.

And, the seasonal flu can ‘shift and mutate’ each year, which is why there are various flu vaccines available.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine each season.

This is important news since 185 pediatric deaths related to influenza were reported to the CDC during the 2017-18 flu season.

And in Texas 17 influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported during the 2017-18 influenza season.

Moreover, 13 pediatric deaths have already been reported during the 2018-19 flu season.

This CDC vaccine recommendation includes pregnant women and individuals with various health conditions.

“Influenza has an abrupt onset while the common cold generally has a gradual onset,” explained Natasha Gildersleeve, PharmD Clinical Pharmacist MTM and Immunization Specialist for Brookshire Grocery Company.

“Both viruses are contagious and therefore it is important to protect people around you if you feel sick.”

“Stay home if at all possible, avoid close contact with other people, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, disinfect frequently touched surfaces and make sure to wash your hands frequently,” continued Gildersleeve.

In the USA, antiviral medications and various flu vaccines are available in most pharmacies, who do charge fees for their products and services.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector vaccine prices for general information.

And, flu vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the CDC.

Sub Title:

San Antonio Metro Health is offering free influenza vaccinations on a limited basis

References:

Census Bureau Reveals Fastest-Growing Large Cities

There is Nothing Common About a Cold Vaccine

CDC Flu News: Week #52

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‘MyShot’ Encourages Seniors to Get Their Flu Shot

Don Hackett — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 19:06:15 +0000

Reviewer:

John Paul Sanchez, PharmD

The American Lung Association (ALA) is now urging seniors over 50 years of age to get their annual flu shot.

While anyone can get the flu, certain people are at increased risk of flu and flu-related complications, including adults 50 years of age and older.

To enhance this message, the ALA and Sanofi Pasteur, are collaborating through its new ‘MyShot’ campaign, which shares the personal stories of seniors.

The MyShot campaign reinforces the need for adults 50 years of age and older to talk with their healthcare providers about flu shot options that may be right for them.

“Even though I have chronic asthma, I never thought I needed a flu shot. I had never gotten the flu before and never worried about it. Then, last season, I got the flu twice. It made my asthma worse and stopped me in my tracks,” said JoJo O’Neal, a 53-year-old radio host, in an ALA press release.

“Not only did I put my own health at risk, but I passed the flu to my sister who has a chronic lung disease and she passed it on to her daughter.”

“I understand now that my choice not to get vaccinated was selfish. I’m making my annual flu shot a priority and, through MyShot, I’m encouraging everyone else to do the same.”

The flu is not just a bad cold.

It can lead to severe, sometimes life-threatening illness, and other health problems such as pneumonia, exacerbation of heart disease – including increased risk of heart attack or stroke – and even death.

“If you end up getting the flu, being vaccinated may help make your symptoms milder and help you avoid more serious consequences,” said MeiLan Han, M.D. American Lung Association volunteer medical spokesperson.

“Getting the flu can cause serious illness with lasting impact for some people, including longer-term disability and increased risk for other serious health events like heart attack or stroke. I recommend vaccination to all of my eligible patients, and hope through this campaign to educate others on how to help protect themselves.”

There are several vaccine options available, including some specifically designed for older adults.

Seasonal flu vaccines cause protective antibodies to develop about 2 weeks after vaccination.

Which means, these antibodies need time to enhance your immune system against the viruses found in the vaccine, says the CDC.

For the 2018-19 flu season, the CDC’s vaccine committee recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, with any licensed, appropriate influenza vaccine (IIV, RIV4, or LAIV4) with no preference expressed for any specific vaccine.

In the USA, flu shots can be scheduled at most community pharmacies using this app.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector prices for general information.

Flu vaccine discounts can be found here.

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.

Sub Title:

Sanofi Pasteur and American Lung Association say flu vaccines are the best prevention available against infection

Reference:

American Lung Association’s New MyShot Campaign Speaks to People Ages 50 and Older About the Potential Dangers of the Flu

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Can Digital Pharmacy Networks Mitigate a Flu Epidemic?

Don Hackett — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 19:40:59 +0000

Reviewer:

*Interested in an Asthma clinical trial, click here*

A new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says that in the event of an influenza epidemic, empowering pharmacies to deliver flu vaccinations could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars of expense.

In the event of an influenza epidemic such as during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, getting enough of the population vaccinated as soon as possible is particularly important to reduce the impact of the virus.

These Hopkins researchers used a computer simulation model to calculate that ‘If pharmacies were fully integrated during a severe flu epidemic and extended their hours of operation, pharmacies could help prevent up to:

16.5 million flu cases,
145,278 deaths could be averted,
$1.9 billion in direct medical costs,
$4.1 billion in indirect costs, and.
$69.5 billion in societal costs could be averted.

“Pharmacies offer a potentially more convenient alternative to health clinics and hospitals to get vaccinated,” says Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA, executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center (GOPC) at the Bloomberg School, in a press release.

“A pharmacy may be closer to you than your doctor’s office or a hospital.”

“Moreover, if pharmacies are open later, then people have a wider window of time to get vaccinated, such as during evenings, weekends and other non-work hours.”

This means traditional vaccination locations alone, such as doctors’ offices and hospitals, may not have the capacity or convenience to get enough people vaccinated to minimize the flu from spreading.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2017, 47.8 percent, of children ages six months to 17 years and 33.8 percent of adults ages 18 to 49 received a flu shot.

Since millions of people already get their annual flu shots at pharmacies, leveraging a pharmacy’s high-tech and high-touch market reach to contact patients during a flu epidemic could be significant.

As an example, Walgreens says 14 million people visit the company's websites and apps each week.

Additionally, Walgreens’s pharmacy network reported on October 11, 2018, that they are now delivering 21.7 percent of all prescriptions.

By combining Walgreens digital pharmacies capabilities, with their high-touch store network, a significant number of incremental flu shots could be delivered during an epidemic.

A second example is during April 2018, McKesson’s Health Mart announced a five-year effort to enhance its national network of thousands of pharmacies with digital capabilities to better manage and schedule patient vaccination appointments.

Results from this Hopkins study could inform public health policy and vaccination decision-makers to determine how much time, money and resources should be invested into distributing and allocating vaccines to pharmacies, prior to or during an epidemic.

“History has shown that another flu epidemic will occur,” says Dr. Lee. “It is just a matter of when.”

“Our study shows that when it comes to a flu epidemic, location and convenience matter a lot.”

“Adding pharmacies as vaccination locations could end up saving thousands of lives and billions of dollars depending on the severity of the epidemic,” said Dr. Lee.

The findings were published online October 16, 2018, in the journal Vaccine. The study was conducted with researchers at the Walgreens Center for Health & Wellbeing Research. Johns Hopkins Medicine supports the Walgreens Center for Health & Wellbeing Research through academic collaborations.

The research was funded by the Walgreens Company, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (R01HS023317), and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (U24GM110707).

Sub Title:

Effects of influenza epidemics can be greatly reduced by extending pharmacy vaccination authority

References:

During A Flu Epidemic, Dispensing Flu Vaccines at Pharmacies Could Save Lives and Costs

Vaccine

Halting an epidemic in 160 characters

Predicting effectiveness of flu vaccination campaigns

Researchers suggest remedies to fix flaws in flu vaccine supply chain

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Florida Reports 1st Pediatric Death for 2018-19 Flu Season

Don Hackett — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 13:34:06 +0000

Reviewer:

Kelley Lu, PharmD

Influenza & influenza-like illness (ILI) activity summary

The first pediatric death of the 2018-19 flu season has been reported by the Florida Department of Health (FDH).

The unvaccinated child tested positive for the influenza B virus and died before October 6, 2018. The child was otherwise healthy, with no known underlying medical conditions.

As of October 12th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that during the 2017-18 flu season, 183 influenza-associated pediatric deaths occurred.

According to the CDC, approximately 80 percent of these pediatric deaths were unvaccinated.

Since July 2018, the most common influenza subtype detected at the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories has been influenza A 2009 (H1N1).

However, influenza A (H3) and influenza B Yamagata lineage viruses have also been detected, reported FHD in its Week 40 report.

Children, especially those who are under the age of 5 or those with a chronic health problem, have a higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications, according to the CDC.

While not perfect, the best way to prevent catching one of the influenza viruses is with the seasonal flu vaccine.

Influenza vaccination has been shown to reduce a child’s likelihood of dying from influenza by up to 60 percent.

Since it takes about 2 weeks for antibodies to develop that protect against an influenza virus infection, it is best to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months of age get vaccinated by the end of October each year.

There are various flu vaccines available for the 2018-19 season.

If you have questions, it's best to speak with your doctor, nurse or pharmacists.

Most pharmacies in the USA offer several FDA approved flu and vaccines.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector prices for general information.

Flu vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.

Recent influenza vaccine news:

Sub Title:

CDC reported 183 influenza-associated pediatric deaths during the 2017-18 flu season

References:

Flu Review

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FDA’s Dr. Gottlieb Is Getting a Flu Shot This Week

Don Hackett — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 16:28:09 +0000

Reviewer:

Statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on preparations for the upcoming flu season and vaccinations

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says this week marks the official start of 2018-2019 “flu season.”

The FDA, along with its partners across the Department of Health and Human Services, has been working throughout the year to prepare the development of a safe, effective flu vaccine for the season.

“I’ll be getting my flu shot this week at an event in Washington, along with the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.

“With the severity of last year’s flu season, I know that there are questions about the effectiveness and benefits of the flu vaccine.”

Since the 2017-2018 flu vaccination effectiveness (VE) was reported to be just 36 percent effective, everyone is hoping for better results for the 2018-2019 season.

“I want to take this opportunity to update you on what we’ve learned from last season, the steps we’re taking to improve our readiness and the effectiveness of this coming year’s flu vaccine, and the continued importance of getting vaccinated,” said Dr. Gottlieb.

“While the effectiveness of the vaccine may vary year to year, I want to assure you that evidence remains strong to support the benefits of the annual flu vaccine for most people.”

“Because there’s often more than one type of influenza virus circulating each season, influenza vaccines are designed to target 3 or 4 of the influenza viruses that are most likely to circulate during the season:

two influenza A types (H1N1 and H3N2),
one (trivalent formulation), or
two (quadrivalent formulation) types of influenza B.

“One of the challenges in fighting flu is that the viruses can change their genetic make-up rapidly -- not only between flu seasons but also during the course of a single season.”

“As a result, the seasonal influenza vaccine needs to be evaluated annually to see whether its composition needs to be adjusted.”

To select the influenza virus strains for inclusion in each season’s flu vaccine, the FDA, World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners review data collected on the circulating strains of influenza from around the world to identify those strains that are most likely to cause the most illness during the U.S. flu season.

Since it generally takes several months for influenza vaccines to be produced, flu strains for the next season need to be selected months in advance to ensure we’re prepared with enough supply when flu season hits.

The FDA advisory committee met in March 2018 to select the strains for this upcoming season.

Last year’s flu vaccine was less protective than it had been in many previous years. In part, because the vaccine was not as effective against one of the predominant circulating strains of influenza.

This isn’t the first time that the vaccine strains have deviated in some important ways from the influenza strain that ends up circulating during the flu season.

But we’ve learned a lot of lessons from these highly unfortunate incidents. And we’ve improved our scientific methods to reduce the odds that it happens again.

We’ll keep working with our partners to develop vaccines that are more protective against flu.

We have some confidence, based on the pattern of influenza circulating now in the Southern hemisphere, that the flu strains chosen for this year’s U.S. seasonal flu vaccine should offer Americans good protection.

A seasonal flu vaccine is one of the most effective and safest ways to protect yourself, your family and your community from the flu and serious flu-related complications, which can result in hospitalizations.

It’s important to note that even when the vaccine does not fully prevent someone from contracting flu, it may lessen its severity.

While the majority of vaccine doses are made using chicken eggs, some doses are made in mammalian cells or by recombinant DNA technology. The latter two are some of the newer technologies.

We found that a preliminary analysis of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data indicates that for the 2017-2018 flu season, the cell-based influenza vaccine appeared to have somewhat better effectiveness in preventing influenza than the egg-based vaccine.

However, this is just one theory. More data is needed to better understand these preliminary findings.

As we prepare for the flu season, I want to assure you that efforts for the 2018-2019 flu vaccine are well underway. The FDA has already evaluated and released many vaccine lots and influenza vaccine is available now from healthcare providers.

Providers are starting to administer these vaccines.

“I encourage you to speak to your healthcare provider about steps that you and your family can take to protect against the flu, including an annual flu shot,” said Dr. Gottlieb.

Sub Title:

CDC recommends influenza vaccinations prior to November

References:

Southern Hemisphere Influenza Season Ending

Influenza Vaccination Recommendation Clarified for Pregnant Women

500 Million Easter Eggs Could Be Saved by the FDA

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