Study casts doubt on paracetamol use for managing flu symptoms Taking paracetamol to manage influenza makes no difference in terms of fighting the virus, reducing patients’ temperature or alleviating other symptoms, according to new research.…
Nasal flu vaccine unlikely to trigger reaction in children with egg allergy and asthma The nasal flu vaccine is unlikely to trigger a reaction in children with egg allergy, well-controlled asthma or recurrent wheeze, suggests a study published in The BMJ.…
Effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine and new production methods Despite a mismatch between the 2014–2015 seasonal flu vaccine and circulating strains, the flu jab is still the best way to protect people in at-risk groups.…
Synthetic biology: microbes made to manufacture drugs From flu vaccines to a mission to Mars, scientists are engineering biological systems to meet the medical needs of the 21st century.…
It may be imperfect, but the flu vaccine saves livesI spend my time infecting volunteers with influenza virus to better understand how vaccines and antivirals work. How well the flu vaccine works can vary from season to season and is dependent on the similarity or “match” between the circulating flu viruses and the strains in the flu vacc…
Vaccination effective at preventing hospitalisation for influenza-associated pneumonia The risk of being admitted to hospital for community-acquired, influenza-associated pneumonia is lowered in people vaccinated against flu, shows US research.…
Tamiflu and Relenza need a better evidence base for influenza, report finds The evidence base for influenza drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) must be strengthened, says a report from the Wellcome Trust and the Academy of Medical Sciences.…
Universal flu vaccine works in animals A new vaccine that targets a part of the influenza virus common to many viral strains has been developed and found to be effective in animal studies…
Pharmacy is the place to target hard-to-reach patients for seasonal flu vaccination Success of reaching patients in first national plan will require pharmacy teams to explain the benefits of vaccination.…
Flu vaccination service included in English community pharmacy contract A national influenza vaccination service delivered through pharmacies in England has been agreed between the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the NHS.…