FDA advisory panel recommends approval of Moderna flu vaccine

A US health advisory panel has voted to recommend approval of Moderna's new flu vaccine, mFlusiva, for adults aged 50 and older. The vaccine uses the same mRNA technology as Moderna's COVID-19 shot. In a large trial with nearly 41,000 adults, it performed 27 percent better than standard flu vaccines. The panel backed full approval for adults aged 50 to 64. For those aged 65 and older, it recommended conditional approval while Moderna carries out further safety studies. If the FDA agrees, mFlusiva will become the first mRNA flu vaccine on the market. Moderna says it can produce updated versions of the vaccine in two to three months, much faster than the six months traditional vaccines require.