FDA Approves At-Home Flu Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first nasal flu vaccine that can be administered at home. People can order the vaccine from pharmacies and administer it themselves without the need for a health care provider.

FluMist, a nasal spray manufactured by AstraZeneca, will not be available for the upcoming respiratory virus season, CNN reported. While FluMist has been used to protect against influenza in the U.S. since 2003, it’s currently only available in pharmacies and other health care settings for those 2 to 49-year-old with a prescription. While a prescription is still required to receive FluMist, people now have two approved options for receiving FluMist. The vaccine may be administered by a health care provider in a health care setting (including a pharmacy) or it may be administered by the vaccine recipient or a caregiver who is 18 years of age or older. 

“Today’s approval of the first influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration provides a new option for receiving a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine potentially with greater convenience, flexibility, and accessibility for individuals and families,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “Getting vaccinated each year is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness in a substantial proportion of the U.S. population every year and may result in serious complications, including hospitalization and death. This approval adds another option for vaccination against influenza disease and demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to advancing public health.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu has resulted in about 9.3 million to 41 million illnesses, 100,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 4,900 to 51,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2023. Numerous FDA-approved vaccines are available each flu season to prevent influenza.