The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the flu nasal spray vaccine (FluMist) doesn't work and should not be used for the upcoming 2016-17 flu season.
The CDC recommended that everyone over 6 months of age get a flu shot instead.
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said the nasal spray vaccine was shown to have poor efficacy in flu prevention over the past few seasons, especially during last fall's outbreak. According the committee, the spray offered only 3 percent protection compared to 60 percent protection from the injectable vaccine.
Ironically, the CDC announcement comes on the heels of a nasal spray vaccine shortage that developed in November and caused anxiety among parents, who tend to prefer the spray for their children because it lacks the "ouch factor" of getting a shot. This year, the lack of spay will beintentional.
"This recommendation means that FluMist will not be available in the 2016-17 season for anyone, and there is no group of individuals for whom FluMist could be used," says Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist Dr. Priya Sampathkumar. "An injectable flu vaccine would be the only choice. Parents of small children may be tempted to skip the flu vaccine altogether, as it now involves a shot, but the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the temporary pain from the flu shot."
Sampathkumar urged parents to have their children vaccinated with the injectable flu vaccine this coming season, which in Minnesota generally runs from October through May, with the peak time in January and February. If parents are concerned about the injectable vaccine, she suggested they talk to their health care provider about ways to reduce pain.
"The flu vaccine still remains the single best protection against the flu," she said.
It's not clear if the nasal flu spay vaccine will be available in the future.
