Biotech Values

[AlpineBV_Miller]

MEDI did a study in kids to see how many kids who were not vaccinated ended up with antibodies to strains of test antigens in the FluMist vaccine. This was considered an ADVANTAGE of FluMist in terms of being able to create wider protection.

Whether the FluMist CAIV can be unintentionally transmitted is not the issue. It is whether such tranmissions result in clinically-relevant infection. It's been a long time since I've looked at the data, but memory serves that none of the influenza reported in these "community crossover" studies resulted from cross-transmission of CAIV.

FWIW, the nasal vaccine technology GSK now holds from their takeover of ID Biomedical is superior and doesn't have these problems. Too bad they turfed the product.