FDA Approves First At-Home, Needle-Free Flu Vaccine

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On Friday (Sept. 20), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first at-home, needle-free flu vaccine.

As reported by WRAL, the option will not be available for this flu season. However, some experts hope that the needle-free option without a doctor’s appointment or pharmacy visit will encourage more people to stay protected.

“I think that’s good news,” said Dr. Jesse Bracamonte, a primary care physician with the Mayo Clinic. “I think the idea is to get people vaccinated and to get their immune system up.”

The vaccine, known as “FluMist,” is a nasal spray that’s been used to protect against influenza in the US for the past 21 years. Currently, it’s available with a prescription in pharmacies and other health facilities for non-pregnant people between the ages of 2-49.

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The manufacturer plans to make FluMist available for self-administration through a third-party online pharmacy. The pharmacy will ship the medication after reviewing a screening and eligibility assessment.

“It’s very simple,” Dr. Bracamonte said. “It’s basically one for each nostril to get the full dose for an adult.”

However, Dr. Bracamonte warns, FluMist will not be for everybody.

So there are certain conditions that are not able to take the flu mist, such as if you’re on immune-related medications that pressure your immune system, you have HIV [or] there’s some particular immune-related issues that you’d have to talk to your physician or your clinician to make sure that that vaccine is right for you.

This option is expected to be available by next year’s flu season.

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