High-Dose Flu Shot Effective for Baby-Boomers

According to a Medical News Brief by Emily Harris with The JAMA Network, observational data from more than 1.6 million people in the United States suggests that a high-dose vaccine may also be more effective than standard-dose vaccines for certain adults.

Reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in December 2023, the Original Article evaluated a recombinant vaccine that contains more than triple the amount of influenza hemagglutinin protein compared with standard-dose vaccines.

Flu cases were about 15% lower for people aged 50 to 64 who received the recombinant vaccine.

Because standard-dose vaccines only prevent up to 40% to 60% of influenza cases, decreasing the number of cases by an additional 15% would still “provide a substantial public health benefit, especially during more severe influenza seasons,” the researchers wrote.

As of December 31, 2023, the U.S. CDC reported that over 155 million egg, cell, and nasal-based influenza vaccines, which are generally available at local pharmacies, had been distributed this flu season.