Academics say there are “critical gaps” in the evidence for the effectiveness of licensed influenza vaccines, even though they are taken by millions of people every year.
They also say there is an “urgent” need for a new type of protection because of the burden of winter flu and the possibility of another global pandemic, such as the swine flu outbreak of 2009 that killed at least 18,000 worldwide.
Lead author Michael Osterholm, of the University of Minnesota, said: “Evidence for consistent high-level protection is elusive for the present generation of vaccines, especially in individuals at risk of medical complications or those aged 65 years or older.
“The ongoing health burden caused by seasonal influenza and the potential global effect of a severe pandemic suggests an urgent need for a new generation of more highly effective and cross-protective vaccines that can be manufactured rapidly.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/flu/8848666/Only-six-out-of-10-protected-by...
They also say there is an “urgent” need for a new type of protection because of the burden of winter flu and the possibility of another global pandemic, such as the swine flu outbreak of 2009 that killed at least 18,000 worldwide.
Lead author Michael Osterholm, of the University of Minnesota, said: “Evidence for consistent high-level protection is elusive for the present generation of vaccines, especially in individuals at risk of medical complications or those aged 65 years or older.
“The ongoing health burden caused by seasonal influenza and the potential global effect of a severe pandemic suggests an urgent need for a new generation of more highly effective and cross-protective vaccines that can be manufactured rapidly.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/flu/8848666/Only-six-out-of-10-protected-by...
