Bentley (Australia), Earlier this week, Moderna announced positive results of its Phase 3 clinical trial of a combined vaccine against Covid and influenza.
So what exactly did the testing find? And what kind of impact will a two-in-one Covid and flu vaccine have on public health? let's take a look.
Combination vaccines are already used for other diseases Combination vaccines have been used successfully for several decades in Australia and around the world.
For example, the DTP vaccine, a shot that combines protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough), was first administered in 1948.
The DTP vaccine has since been added to provide protection against other diseases.A hexavalent vaccine, which protects against six diseases – diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B (an infection that can cause inflammation in the brain) – is included in routine childhood vaccination programs today in Australia and elsewhere. Another important combination vaccine is the MMR vaccine, which is given to protect children against measles, mumps and rubella.
So what did the testing find?
Moderna's Phase 3 trial included about 8,000 participants across two age groups. Half the people were adults aged 50 to 64. The remaining half were aged 65 and above.In both age groups, participants were randomized to receive either the combined vaccine (called mRNA-1083) or a control. A Covid vaccine and an appropriate flu vaccine were distributed separately to the control groups.
The control group ages 50 to 64 received the Fluarix flu vaccine, as well as Moderna's mRNA COVID vaccine, SpikeVax. The control group over the age of 65 received SpikeVax with Fluzone HD, an advanced flu vaccine specifically designed for older adults.
The study evaluated safety, including any reactions that occurred after vaccination and the protective immune response generated by the vaccines.Moderna reported that the combined vaccine elicited a higher immune response against COVID and three influenza strains in both age groups, compared with co-administered shots.
From a safety perspective, the combined vaccine was well tolerated. Adverse reactions were similar in the experimental and control groups. The most common side effects include muscle aches, fatigue, and pain at the injection site.
Although the trial results are promising, they have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning independent experts have not yet verified them.And further research may be needed to test how the combined vaccine works in younger age groups. What are the advantages of combined vaccines?
We cannot overstate the importance of vaccines. Every year they prevent five million deaths from life-threatening infections worldwide.
At the same time, we can always do more to promote vaccination, especially in areas with fewer resources and vulnerable populations. Combination vaccines have a variety of advantages.For example, requiring fewer injections reduces costs to health systems, reduces storage requirements and reduces the burden on parents. All of these things can be especially valuable in low-income countries.
In particular, research shows that combination vaccines make it more likely that people will get routine vaccinations.
Two Important Diseases: Every year, especially during the winter months, millions of people suffer from respiratory infections. In fact, it is being told that flu cases are increasing rapidly in some parts of Australia.Globally, approximately 3 million to 5 million people experience severe influenza annually, according to the World Health Organization, and approximately 650,000 will die from the disease.
COVID has caused more than 7 million deaths worldwide so far. As the COVID pandemic continues, we have seen pandemic fatigue, as some people appear to have become careless about their COVID shots. A 2023 study in Australia found that 30% of the population surveyed were hesitant and 9% were resistant to taking a Covid booster.
The flu vaccine, which many people make a habit of getting annually, may be overused.That said, current flu vaccine rates for 2024 in Australia are still quite low: 53% for adults over 65, 26% for those aged 50 to 65, and lower for younger age groups. .
Two-in-one Covid and flu vaccines can be an important public health tool to increase vaccine coverage against these two important diseases. In addition to protecting the health of individuals, this will also benefit the economy and our healthcare system. Moderna said it will present its trial data at an upcoming medical conference and submit it for publication. The company has also said it will apply for regulatory approval soon, with the possibility of supplying the combined vaccine in 2025.Additionally, Pfizer and BioNTech also have late-stage trials underway for a combined COVID and flu vaccine. We will await further developments with interest.(talk) NSA
NSA
So what exactly did the testing find? And what kind of impact will a two-in-one Covid and flu vaccine have on public health? let's take a look.
Combination vaccines are already used for other diseases Combination vaccines have been used successfully for several decades in Australia and around the world.
For example, the DTP vaccine, a shot that combines protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough), was first administered in 1948.
The DTP vaccine has since been added to provide protection against other diseases.A hexavalent vaccine, which protects against six diseases – diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B (an infection that can cause inflammation in the brain) – is included in routine childhood vaccination programs today in Australia and elsewhere. Another important combination vaccine is the MMR vaccine, which is given to protect children against measles, mumps and rubella.
So what did the testing find?
Moderna's Phase 3 trial included about 8,000 participants across two age groups. Half the people were adults aged 50 to 64. The remaining half were aged 65 and above.In both age groups, participants were randomized to receive either the combined vaccine (called mRNA-1083) or a control. A Covid vaccine and an appropriate flu vaccine were distributed separately to the control groups.
The control group ages 50 to 64 received the Fluarix flu vaccine, as well as Moderna's mRNA COVID vaccine, SpikeVax. The control group over the age of 65 received SpikeVax with Fluzone HD, an advanced flu vaccine specifically designed for older adults.
The study evaluated safety, including any reactions that occurred after vaccination and the protective immune response generated by the vaccines.Moderna reported that the combined vaccine elicited a higher immune response against COVID and three influenza strains in both age groups, compared with co-administered shots.
From a safety perspective, the combined vaccine was well tolerated. Adverse reactions were similar in the experimental and control groups. The most common side effects include muscle aches, fatigue, and pain at the injection site.
Although the trial results are promising, they have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning independent experts have not yet verified them.And further research may be needed to test how the combined vaccine works in younger age groups. What are the advantages of combined vaccines?
We cannot overstate the importance of vaccines. Every year they prevent five million deaths from life-threatening infections worldwide.
At the same time, we can always do more to promote vaccination, especially in areas with fewer resources and vulnerable populations. Combination vaccines have a variety of advantages.For example, requiring fewer injections reduces costs to health systems, reduces storage requirements and reduces the burden on parents. All of these things can be especially valuable in low-income countries.
In particular, research shows that combination vaccines make it more likely that people will get routine vaccinations.
Two Important Diseases: Every year, especially during the winter months, millions of people suffer from respiratory infections. In fact, it is being told that flu cases are increasing rapidly in some parts of Australia.Globally, approximately 3 million to 5 million people experience severe influenza annually, according to the World Health Organization, and approximately 650,000 will die from the disease.
COVID has caused more than 7 million deaths worldwide so far. As the COVID pandemic continues, we have seen pandemic fatigue, as some people appear to have become careless about their COVID shots. A 2023 study in Australia found that 30% of the population surveyed were hesitant and 9% were resistant to taking a Covid booster.
The flu vaccine, which many people make a habit of getting annually, may be overused.That said, current flu vaccine rates for 2024 in Australia are still quite low: 53% for adults over 65, 26% for those aged 50 to 65, and lower for younger age groups. .
Two-in-one Covid and flu vaccines can be an important public health tool to increase vaccine coverage against these two important diseases. In addition to protecting the health of individuals, this will also benefit the economy and our healthcare system. Moderna said it will present its trial data at an upcoming medical conference and submit it for publication. The company has also said it will apply for regulatory approval soon, with the possibility of supplying the combined vaccine in 2025.Additionally, Pfizer and BioNTech also have late-stage trials underway for a combined COVID and flu vaccine. We will await further developments with interest.(talk) NSA
NSA
