Moderna expects limited retail availability before fall vaccination season
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new type of flu vaccine for older adults, manufacturer Moderna said. The vaccine, named mFlusiva, is intended for people age 50 and older.
Moderna said Wednesday that it expects some doses to become available soon at select retailers. Other flu-vaccine brands have already begun arriving at pharmacies ahead of the fall vaccination season.
MFlusiva is the first flu vaccine made with messenger RNA, or mRNA, technology. The technology was key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report.
The new vaccine joins multiple flu-vaccine options already available in the United States. Three of those options are specifically recommended for people age 65 or older.
Influenza remains a significant health risk for older people. Tens of thousands of Americans die from the illness every year, and older adults are among those most vulnerable.
Flu vaccines must be updated each year to best match the strains of virus circulating at the time. The virus can change in ways that make matching the vaccine to circulating strains more difficult.
Vaccines made with mRNA technology are faster to manufacture than other types, according to the report. Experts say that could provide an additional option if the flu virus changes in a way that requires new doses to be produced quickly.