Flu Mist

If things were going well in the world of flu vaccines, I believe the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be issuing frequent dire warnings about the Asian bird flu and the potential for a pandemic influenza that could kill millions.

But things are not going well. CDC officials are all geared up to move the product (flu vaccines), but production keeps failing them.

You may remember last fall when the supply of flu shots destined for the U.S. was abruptly cut in half just as the “get a shot” campaign was starting to heat up. That campaign cooled off fast, to say the least.

Now hope is fading for a better flu season this year. (By “better” I mean one with higher vaccine sales.)

Last week the Washington Post reported that the FDA called out MedImmune, the makers of FluMist, for misleading consumers about side effects.

Remember FluMist? I first told you about this ouch-less flu vaccine that users inhale through their nostrils. Unlike the conventional flu shot, which contains inactivated flu strains, FluMist contains three living flu strains. So when MedImmune representatives recently distributed promotional fliers to help doctors anticipate how much FluMist they might need for the upcoming vaccine season, the FDA said, “Hold on a sec,” because the flier didn’t mention specific warnings for certain patients. Directions for use were also misleading.

This is just the most recent setback for FluMist. Sales were disappointing when the product launched in 2003. Even last year, when the vaccine supply was unexpectedly cut in half, FluMist didn’t sell very well.

But it now appears that FluMist will get another crack at exploiting a wide open market. A friend of mine recently sent an e-mail titled “NEW flu vaccine shortage?” One of the primary producers of flu vaccines has informed the CDC that vaccine production for this upcoming season may fall short by as many as 12 million doses.

So it looks like the annual beating of the drums to warn about a coming pandemic will have to be put on hold for another year. No need to go to the bother and expense of scaring the living daylights out of consumers if the product won’t be available.

Meanwhile, summer is the perfect time to begin strengthening your immune system in preparation for flu season. For tips from HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., on how to do just that, you can look for the e-Alert “Debugging Kit” (9/24/03), on our web site at hsionline.com.