FDA to review data on flu vaccine effectiveness, as US epidemic wanes

27 February 2018

With the USA’s flu epidemic apparently subsiding, the Food and Drug Administration’s Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has provided an update on his agency's efforts to improve the effectiveness of influenza vaccines.

While physician visits and deaths have now declined for the second week in the row, the agency believes the flu may continue to affect Americans into April.

The FDA is trying to establish why reduced effectiveness against the H3N2 strain of influenza A was observed - the strain that caused much of the influenza-related illness this flu season. Estimates suggest effectiveness levels were at around 25%.

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