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Needle-free flu vaccine pondered by P.E.I.

Last Updated: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 | 7:43 AM AT

CBC News

P.E.I. health officials are considering whether to start using a flu vaccine that is delivered by a nasal spray rather than the traditional needle.

'It's better at reducing occurrences of the seasonal flu.'— Marc Zerenda, AstraZeneca

The vaccine, FluMist, was approved last week by Health Canada. It has been in use in the United States since 2003.

"Anything that avoids a needle can be exciting," deputy chief health officer Dr. Lamont Sweet told CBC News Monday.

"Is it going to be better? That is another matter."

The vaccine was approved for patients aged two to 59. There are questions about its safety for people outside that age group, because the virus is live. In traditional vaccines the virus is dead. Testing has found the nasal vaccine is more likely to cause flu-like symptoms, such as runny nose or fever in children, or sore throat in adults.

In addition to the advantage of avoiding a needle, AstraZeneca, the Ontario pharmaceutical company that is trying to sell it across Canada, said its testing has found the vaccine can be more effective.

"We've done studies in over 20,000 children," said company spokesman Marc Zerenda.

"It's better at reducing occurrences of the seasonal flu."

Sweet said P.E.I. health officials still have some safety questions about the vaccine.

"Some people do have weakened immune systems, and therefore we have to look at that before we give a vaccine which is alive, even though it's weakened," he said.

Cost is also an issue. In the U.S. it's about three times more expensive than a normal flu shot.

Sweet said the province may consider the new spray vaccine next fall.

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