kcentv : declared in Central Texas doctor conducts life-saving flu vaccine research

Her work contributes to a nationwide flu shot effectiveness network, which has five research sites in the U.S. For the past six years, Dr. Manju Gaglani has been annually studying flu vaccine effectiveness using federal grant money. TEMPLE - Research suggests roughly half of Americans get the flu shot each year, but Central Texans might not realize one of the key doctors behind the flu shot works in Temple. "Flu vaccines are not 100 percent effective, but they are the best tool we have to prevent flu illnesses," Dr. Gaglani said. Together, those sites have studied vaccine effectiveness in more than 3,000 people this flu season.

In a bad flu season, high-dose flu vaccine appeared better at preventing deaths in seniors

When H1N1 viruses circulated during the 2013-2014 season, the high-dose vaccine was not significantly better than the standard-dose vaccine at preventing deaths. During the 2012-2013 season, when H3N2 viruses were dominant, the high-dose flu vaccine was 36 percent more effective at preventing deaths in the Medicare beneficiaries studied, compared to the standard-dose vaccine. The high-dose flu vaccine was approved in 2009 in the U.S. for adults 65 and older. During the following season (2013-2014), when H1N1 viruses dominated and the standard-dose vaccine had better effectiveness than the previous season, the high-dose vaccine was not significantly better at preventing deaths among the Medicare patients studied. The findings build on earlier research suggesting that the high-dose vaccine may be better at preventing influenza virus infections and other flu-related outcomes in seniors, including office visits and hospitalizations, compared to the standard-dose vaccine.


Flu viruses evolve so often that leftover seasonal flu vaccine is not saved for use the following year. Experts who advise the World Health Organization on which flu viruses should be used for seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines have been meeting this week in Geneva. The conclusion: The stored H7N9 vaccine doesn't adequately protect against a new branch of this virus family, and a new vaccine is needed. The vaccines in the pandemic flu stockpile are intended to protect first responders in the case one of the highest-risk bird flu viruses triggers a pandemic. The stockpile also contains several versions of vaccines against H5N1 bird flu viruses, the oldest of which was made about a decade ago.



collected by :Lucy William

To follow all the new news about Health care