MedImmune Prepared to Support Implementation of Expanded ACIP Recommendations for Influenza Va...( - School-Based Vaccination Programs ...),Health

- School-Based Vaccination Programs Using FluMist(R) May Serve as Model to

Help Vaccinate Large Numbers of Eligible Children -

GAITHERSBURG, Md, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- MedImmune, the manufacturer of FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal), today lauded the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for its unanimous vote to expand recommendations for routine seasonal influenza vaccination to include all school-age children up to the age of 18 years as soon as feasible but no later than the 2009-2010 influenza season. To support this move by the ACIP, MedImmune is preparing to manufacture a record number of FluMist doses -- about 12 million -- for the upcoming flu season, with the intention of continuing to substantially increase production in subsequent seasons.

"MedImmune applauds the ACIP for expanding its recommendations and stands ready to support this move by nearly tripling its production of FluMist doses for the 2008-2009 flu season," said Frank J. Malinoski, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president of medical and scientific affairs.

"We also believe that positive experiences using FluMist in school-based programs point to the importance -- and opportunity -- of using non- traditional venues, in addition to traditional venues, to help achieve the goal of vaccinating a larger number of school-age children against the flu," added Malinoski.

Research has shown statistically significant reductions in influenza like illness (ILI), child doctors' office visits, medication use and work/school absenteeism among households whose children attended schools/daycares with influenza vaccination programs, compared to those whose children attended schools/daycares without these programs(1)(2).

Since introduction of the nasal spray vaccine to the U.S. market in 2003, FluMist has been increasingly utilized in schools, public health centers, and other c
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