FDA committee recommends a new mRNA flu vaccine : NPR

Key Points:

• The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) unanimously recommended Moderna's mRNA influenza vaccine, mFlusiva, for adults aged 50 and over, marking the first new vaccine review since 2023.
• Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine offers potential advantages including stronger and longer-lasting immunity, recognition of more flu strains, and faster production compared to traditional flu vaccines, with no credible safety risks identified.
• The FDA initially declined to review the vaccine application but reversed its decision following criticism, reflecting ongoing tensions within the administration regarding mRNA vaccines, especially under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• Experts emphasized the vaccine's robust phase 3 trial data and the established safety profile of mRNA vaccines, which have been administered over 6 billion times since 2020 without evidence of DNA integration or serious safety concerns.
• The VRBPAC's active role contrasts with the reduced activity of other advisory committees like the CDC's ACIP, which has been disbanded under Kennedy's leadership, raising concerns about future vaccine recommendation processes.