 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A half-dose flu shot may be just as effective in healthy, young people as a full dose, which could be useful during vaccine shortages.
In recent years, influenza vaccine delivery has been impaired because of supply shortages, study authors say. In October 2004, half the anticipated national influenza vaccine supply was lost, making a reduced dose for healthy individuals a critical consideration.
Text Continues Below
Researchers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., studied healthy adults between ages 18 to 64 years who had been vaccinated within the past one to three years. Half of the group was given a full dose of the flu vaccine while the other half received a half-dose version. Blood samples showed the antibody response in both groups was not substantially different, particularly for those ages 18 to 49 years.
Given the benefits of immunizing healthy working adults and caregivers, these data support the validity of a dose reduction strategy in the setting of vaccine shortages, study authors wrote.
In addition, half-doses were also associated with fewer side effects, which could make the reduced dosage vaccine more acceptable. Women of all ages responded more than men to both dosages of the vaccine. In fact, women who received the half-dose developed similar antibody responses to men receiving the full dose.
SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008;168[22]:2405-2414
Sign up for a free weekly e-mail on Medical Breakthroughs called First to Know by clicking here.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
