Oct. 11, 2024 – “I want the senior flu vaccine.”
This is a request Steven Furr, MD, A family doctor in Jackson, Alabama, is hearing increasingly more from his patients 65 and older nowadays.
They are talking about flu “super vaccines” – high-dose or adjuvanted flu vaccines designed to provide a stronger immune response than usual. Since 2022 the CDC recommended that adults aged 65 and over receive one among three such flu vaccines as an alternative of a typical dose.
A growing body of research supports this recommendation and confirms that vaccinations each reduce office visits Hospital stays for the flu amongst those over 65 years old. And we're learning more about these effective vaccines. Here's what it is best to know.
The three vaccines available
If you're 65 or older, the CDC recommends you get one among these three medications.
- “Most of us use high-dose Fluzone,” said Furr, chief executive and past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. It comprises 4 times more antigens (substances that trigger an immune response) than a typical flu shot. It is approved for adults ages 65 and older and can also be acceptable for younger individuals who have had an organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressive medications CDC says.
- Flublok, the recombinant flu vaccine, uses egg-free technology to trigger a stronger immune response. It is approved for anyone 18 and older, but typically reserved for people 65 and older, Furr said.
- Fluad Trivalent is a standard-dose flu shot with an adjuvant, a component added to a vaccine that stimulates the immune system. It is approved for adults aged 65 and over, but can also be a option for individuals who have had an organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressive medications.
Drugmakers say all medications will likely be available in doctor's offices and pharmacies this yr. However, depending on demand and wait times for brand new deliveries, they might not at all times be available in all locations. In this case, it is best to consider a typical dose somewhat than waiting, advises the CDC.
Some unintended effects are reported more ceaselessly with high-dose vaccines than with standard-dose vaccines. according to CDC – including pain, muscle pain and pain on the injection site – but are often mild. Furr said most of his older patients tolerate the improved vaccines well.
What current research has found
Although the relative advantages of increased flu vaccinations have been known for several years, few studies have directly compared the vaccines with the usual dose – or with one another. A analysis of 32 studies and greater than 71 million people published in September and conducted by the CDC have done just that.
It found that the improved vaccines provided barely greater protection against flu-related hospitalizations than the usual vaccine for adults aged 65 and over. When researchers checked out data from all three vaccines together, the danger of flu-related hospitalization fell by 11% in most studies. The researchers also found that not one of the three vaccines provided higher protection than the others.
Should you get an enhanced flu shot in case you are under 65?
Some research has suggested that these improved vaccines could also help adults ages 50 to 64. A study The study of 675,000 people aged 50 to 64, funded by Sanofi (one among the vaccine manufacturers), found that an improved vaccine – the recombinant flu shot called Flublok – was 15% higher at stopping infections than the usual dose.
“There’s no reason to think it wouldn’t benefit them,” he said Aaron Glatt, MD, Chair of Medicine and Hospital Epidemiologist at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York, who reviewed the study.
But does that mean it is best to get one even in case you're under 65? The short answer: probably not.
Younger age groups initially have a lower risk of flu-related complications, said Glatt. Up to 85% of flu-related deaths and as much as 70% of flu-related hospitalizations occur in adults age 65 and older CDC estimates.
Glatt doesn't expect the CDC to vary its advice based on current evidence. “The CDC and [its] The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) makes recommendations very slowly and carefully,” he said.
“The reason we use the high dose for the older group is because they are more likely to have complications and require hospitalization,” Furr said, pointing to the upper cost of the improved vaccines there. “Further studies will clarify whether there really is a cost advantage.”
He said he wouldn't consider the improved vaccines for those for whom the CDC doesn't recommend them.
Glatt said he would consider it on a case-by-case basis for higher-risk patients under age 65, corresponding to those with a history of illness or severe flu.
Sanofi said its Flublok, which is approved for ages 18 and older, is usually given to patients ages 50 to 64, who could have higher rates of chronic illness and be susceptible to flu complications.