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FDA/WHO Recommend Components for 2015-2016 Flu Vaccine

The FDA, taking note of advice from the World Health Organization, has released their recommendations for the components of the 2015-2016 influenza vaccine.

They have recommended that the trivalent vaccine include the following:

  • a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus
  • an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
  • an A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2)-like virus

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Further, the FDA recommended that the upcoming quadrivalent vaccines include the 3 listed viruses and a virus akin to the B/Brisbane/60/2008.

“This recommendation relates to the influenza vaccines for the forthcoming influenza season in the northern hemisphere (2015-2016),” said the authors of the WHO report.

“A recommendation will be made in September 2015 relating to vaccines that will be used for the influenza season in the southern hemisphere (2016). For countries in equatorial regions, epidemiological considerations influence which recommendation (February or September) individual national and regional authorities consider appropriate,” they said.

The complete report is published on World Health Organization’s website.

-Michelle Canales Butcher

Reference:

Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2015-2016 northern hemisphere influenza season. World Health Organization Web site. February 26, 2015. www.who.int/influenza/vaccines/virus/recommendations/2015_16_north/en/. Accessed March 6, 2015.