FDA approves vaccine for H1N1 “swine” flu

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has approved four vaccines against the H1N1 “swine” flu virus.

Distribution of the vaccines should begin within the next four weeks, the FDA said.

Preliminary studies have found the new H1N1 vaccines produce “robust” immune responses in most healthy adults within eight to 10 days of a single dose.

Studies are underway to determine which types of vaccines and dosing schedules are most effective for children, the FDA said

To date, the vaccines “have been well tolerated”, the FDA said, and potential side effects “are expected to be similar to those of seasonal flu vaccines.”

The FDA recommends that most people should also get the vaccine against the typical seasonal flu, which is already available but which do not protect against the new H1N1 flu.

For more information:

• Go to seasonal flu information page at www.flu.gov.
• Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page on H1N1 flu.
• Visit the Washington State Department of Health’s H1N1 (Swine Flu) information page.
• Read LocalHealthGuide’s Seattle Science article on one-shot vaccine research.

Category: Influenza, Vaccines