Health Care — At-home flu vaccines get FDA approval

Presented by Plan B One Step — For the first time, adults will be able to administer their own flu vaccines after the FDA approved a nasal spray to be administered without a health care provider being involved

View Online Health Care Health Care PRESENTED BY  The Big Story  FDA approves first self-administered flu vaccine Adults will be able to administer their own flu vaccines after the Food and Drug Administration approved a nasal spray to be administered without a health care provider being present. © AP The nasal spray vaccine known as FluMist has been approved for over 20 years. It can be administered to individuals between 2 and 49 years of age.    Nasal spray vaccines are considered a viable alternative to shots that offer a higher degree of convenience. Commonly reported side effects included fever, runny nose, congestion and sore throat.    "Today's approval of the first influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration provides a new option for receiving a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine potentially with greater convenience, flexibility and accessibility for individuals and families," Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.    Here's what to know:  With the FDA's approval, the vaccine can now be administered either by a health care provider in a health care setting or by a vaccine recipient or caregiver who is 18 and older.  Those interested in self-administering FluMist will still need a prescription.  Once it's available, FluMist will be delivered to the homes of interested adults. Its manufacturer AstraZeneca has stated more information can be found at FluMist.com.  Nationally, flu vaccination rates in the U.S. have been dropping since the COVID-19 pandemic, with rates dropping below 50 percent in the 2022-2023 flu season.  Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel , Joseph Choi  and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Harris invokes Georgia woman's death in Atlanta speech on abortion rights Vice President Harris spoke forcefully Friday about the pain experienced by women in states with abortion bans, placing the blame for their suffering squarely on Republicans and former President Trump.  In remarks focused solely on abortion rights, Harris in Atlanta invoked the name of Amber Nicole Thurman, a 28-year-old Georgia woman who died of an infection after a rare complication from taking medication abortion. "We will …  Full Story Former NYC COVID-19 czar admits attending sex, dance parties amid pandemic social distancing The former New York City official in charge of the COVID-19 pandemic response has admitted to attending sex and dance parties during the height of the pandemic, despite telling others to social distance. A video posted Thursday by conservative podcaster Steven Crowder shows Jay K. Varma, who was City Hall's senior health adviser under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio until May 2021, talking about a sex party he and his wife held and …  Full Story FTC sues three largest drug middlemen for allegedly inflating insulin prices The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Friday sued the three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for engaging in alleged anticompetitive practices that boosted profits while "artificially" inflating the list price of insulin.  The agency's action targeted CVS Caremark Rx, Cigna's Express Scripts and UnitedHealth's OptumRx. The three companies combined administer about 80 percent of all prescriptions in the United …  Full Story A MESSAGE FROM PLAN B ONE STEP Plan B is a backup birth control option that is used to help prevent unintended pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, a contraceptive failure, or sexual assault. Its proven safety, efficacy, and mode of action is supported by a large body of clinical studies and scientific literature, all of which support that Plan B does not impact the implantation of a fertilized egg. Explore the evidence. 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More than 20 swing-state polls … Read more GOP scrambles to contain Robinson fallout in North Carolina Republicans are scrambling to mitigate the fallout from North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson's latest scandal, fearful it could cost … Read more   You're all caught up. See you next week!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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