The FDA has approved a new influenza vaccine (marketed as Flucelvax) for adults 18 and older. Flucelvax is the first in the U.S. to be produced using cultured mammalian cells instead of fertilized chicken eggs, and according to the manufacturer, can be made much more quickly than traditional influenza vaccines, which can take months.
In a randomized st
udy of adults aged 18 to 49, Flucelvax was 83.8% effective in preventing influenza compared with placebo. In adults 49 and older, Flucelvax was comparable to the egg-based vaccine Agriflu. Side effects were similar to those seen with other flu vaccines and included fatigue, headache, and pain at the injection site.
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