50 Million Flu Shots Shipped To Prevent Influenza During 2018

The 2nd largest flu-shot manufacturer has begun shipping its seasonal influenza vaccines to customers in the United States for the 2018-2019 influenza season.

Seqirus expects to distribute over 50 million doses of influenza vaccines to the U.S. market this year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year,” said Gregg C. Sylvester, MD, MPH, VP of Medical Affairs at Seqirus.

The CDC says its important for at-risk groups of people, such as infants, seniors, and pregnant women, to get the annual flu shot.

The range of Seqirus vaccines include options for children aged 4 years to people aged 65 years and older, available in pre-filled syringes as well as multi-dose vials.

The company said in a press release it will provide:

• FLUAD® (Influenza Vaccine, Adjuvanted), the only adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine specifically developed for people aged 65 and older, and
• FLUCELVAX® QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine), available for those aged four and older.
• AFLURIA® QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine), an egg-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine,
• Rapivab® (peramivir injection), the first-and-only one-dose intravenous antiviral treatment for acute uncomplicated influenza.

Please see the accompanying Important Safety Information and the US full prescribing information for FLUAD.

Seqirus is part of CSL Limited, was established during July 2015 following CSL’s acquisition of the Novartis influenza vaccines business and its subsequent integration with bioCSL.

Separately, on June 20, 2018, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) immunization committee issued an opinion saying ‘there is no evidence of adverse fetal effects from vaccinating pregnant women with inactivated virus, bacterial vaccines, or toxoids, and a growing body of data demonstrate the safety of such use.’

Previously, during late July 2018, Sanofi Pasteur announced the initial shipment of nearly 70 million flu vaccine doses to various healthcare providers.

Most pharmacies in the USA offer flu shot services.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector prices for general information.

Flu vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.