Nasal spray flu vaccine approved for toddlers

U.S. health officials said on Wednesday they approved the Flumist nasal spray influenza vaccine for children between ages 2 and 5.

Flumist is made by MedImmune Inc, which was recently acquired by AstraZeneca.

Previously, the vaccine was approved only for healthy children age 5 and older and adults up to age 49.

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The approval “offers parents and health professionals a needle-free option for squeamish toddlers, who may be reluctant to get a traditional influenza shot,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman, head of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

Children under 2 should not receive Flumist because there was an increased risk of hospitalization and wheezing in that age group during MedImmune’s clinical trials, the FDA said.

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Flumist also should not be given to anyone with asthma or to children under 5 with recurrent wheezing, the agency said.

Side effects from Flumist were generally mild and most often included runny nose, nasal congestion or a slight fever in children 2 to 6 years old, the FDA said.