BC doctors hesitant to use new senior flu vaccine

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The approval of a new vaccine to help seniors fight the flu has been given the green light in Canada, but doctors in BC appear to be hesitant to use it.

They want more research done to ensure its effective and the best option to roll out.

Dr. Danuta Skowronski with the BCCDC says the other issue is money — if local health authorities start offering it — who’s going to pay for that? “In general, we’re looking in the range of $6 to $7 typically for influenza vaccines in Canada and, as I say, we’re anticipating this new vaccine to be four to six-fold higher.”

It’s not available right now, but she thinks by next fall it should be, at least privately. “About 90 per cent of influenza deaths occur in the elderly. They certainly are disproportionately represented in our serious outcomes due to influenza.”

She adds seniors are at the highest risk of contracting the flu because of things like weakened immune systems and age.

The vaccine is called Fluzone and has only recently been approved in Canada, but has been offered in the US since 2009.

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