FluMist nasal spray approved for self-administration in the US – AstraZeneca

FluMist has been approved in the US as the only self-administered influenza vaccine. FluMist, a needle-free nasal spray, was approved to be self-administered by adults up to 49 years of age or administered by a parent/caregiver to individuals 2-17 years of age. The approval by the FDA  was based on a comprehensive submission, which included results from a usability study demonstrating that individuals over 18 years of age could self-administer or administer FluMist to eligible individuals 2-49 years of age.

Iskra Reic, Executive Vice President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca, said: “The approval of FluMist for self-administration is an important step forward in making vaccines more accessible to fight the high annual burden of influenza. For more than 20 years, FluMist has been the only nasal spray flu vaccine licensed in the US and now it is also the only vaccine to help individuals, families and communities access an influenza vaccine conveniently through self- and caregiver administration outside of traditional healthcare settings.”

Seasonal influenza causes up to 1 billion infections each year and may result in severe outcomes for about 3-5 million patients including hospitalisations, complications and death. Influenza has been shown to impact school attendance and employment with 47% of days of school and 1-2 days of work missed annually. Vaccination rates for influenza have declined in adults in the US since the 2020–21 season by 3.3%5 In a US survey, a common reason for adults not to receive a vaccination included failure to attend regular well-care visits, while having access to at-home vaccination options were shown to potentially increase influenza vaccination uptake.

Once available, individuals 18 and older will be able to have FluMist delivered directly to their homes via FluMist Home. FluMist Home will utilise an online pharmacy where eligible individuals complete a questionnaire that is reviewed by a pharmacist prior to receiving their vaccine for shipment.