Source: Fox News
Summary
The FDA has approved Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine for adults 50-64, with accelerated approval for those 65 and older. The vaccine, based on the same technology used in COVID-19 shots, was found to reduce flu cases by 27% compared to a standard flu vaccine in a phase 3 clinical trial. Experts say mRNA vaccines can be updated quickly to protect against changing flu strains. The vaccine had more short-term side effects than conventional flu shots, but these were generally mild and temporary.
Our Reading
The advice sounds familiar.
Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine enters the market with a 27% reduction in flu cases, echoing the language of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. The FDA’s accelerated approval for seniors, pending further study, is a familiar pattern. The promise of rapid turnaround and adaptability to changing flu strains sounds like a repetition of COVID-19 vaccine benefits. The goal of a combined flu/COVID vaccine, a single seasonal shot, feels like a rebranded concept.
It’s a phase, like the ones we’ve seen before.
Author: Evan Null
