Updated recommendations on influenza vaccination for the 2015–16 season have been issued by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. As reported in MMWR, changes from the 2014–15 season include the following:
Trivalent vaccines will include A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus, an A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2)-like virus, and a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (Yamagata lineage) virus. These A (H3N2) and B viruses are different from the previous season.
The Fluzone Intradermal Quadrivalent vaccine is expected to replace the trivalent Fluzone Intradermal vaccine for adults aged 18 to 64.
Children aged 6 months to 8 years who are receiving their first influenza vaccine still need two doses at least 4 weeks apart, but special consideration of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccination is no longer needed, since current vaccines incorporate that viral antigen.
Live-attenuated vaccine (previously preferred for children aged 2–8 years) is no longer recommended over inactivated vaccine, because observational studies failed to support the superiority of live-attenuated vaccine seen in randomized trials.
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Reuters (8/12, Rapaport) reports that Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced that two clinical tests for Hetlioz (tasimelteon) showed that the drug helped blind patients achieve normal sleep rhythms. Last year, Hetlioz was approved by the Food and Drug Administration with orphan drug status, which allowed it to receive approval based upon smaller trials. The two studies examined 104 totally blind patients throughout 27 clinical trial centers in the US and Europe.
