FDA sets 'dramatic' course change for next year's flu vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration has decided toreformulate next year’s flu vaccine to protect against three new and differentstrains. Such a dramatic move could pose a major challenge for vaccine flumakers, experts said. 

This year, the vaccine proved has been less effectivethan hoped in many cases because of new strains that emerged. The Centers forDisease Control & Prevention found that the current vaccine helps toprevent only about 40% of the virus now spreading in the United States. TheBrisbane/10 strain, a version of H3N2, was a big culprit this year. 

The new vaccine next year would guard against the Brisbane/10, as well as a second new Type A strain, known as H1N1/Brisbane/59, and a newer Type B/Florida strain. Vaccine manufacturers will be expected to produce more than 100 million doses of this new vaccine by autumn. Typically the formula changes annually to include only one or two new strains.