Quote:
Originally Posted by joe_mullen
Couple comments regarding this. Adjuvants allow the use of approximately 1/4th of the regular viral load in a vaccine to get the equivalent immune response. Therefore, less of the virus needs to be replicated in order to produce the same amount of vaccines. This was necessary this time around as the production time of this vaccine needed to be shortened (seasonal flu vaccine production usually begins almost one year in advance) and the virus was more difficult than average to replicate in a lab setting. Therefore, a smaller amount of virus was available with greater demand for the vaccine. I assume that the reason this went through approval only this year has to do with the fact that we have never had a situation before where an adjuvant was required and hence all seasonal flu vaccines (in North America) were developed without it.
|
So it wouldn't be wrong for me to speculate that the only reason the adjuvanted vaccine was approved this year by HC is because of a time and demand issue on the product? i.e. the pandemic.
But again I still feel as if there's a bit of the picture missing as to why they weren't approving it before given that it's shown to be more effective thus more preventative.
Quote:
Originally Posted by joe_mullen
Also, it should be noted that an adjuvant does not provide improved immunity against a potential mutant strain. However, luckily this particular H1N1 subtype does not seem to be mutating currently, so the vaccine will likely be very well matched. Hopefully my rambling makes some sense.
|
Nothing definite but it's claimed that it possibly can.
"Current clinical evidence shows that an adjuvanted vaccine is safe and will also help cause a stronger immune response, protect more quickly, and give better protection if the influenza pandemic virus changes slightly."
http://www.health.alberta.ca/health-...questions.html (#20)
Which still begs the question ... wouldn't this think make a lot more sense in years past where there's a bit more guesswork re the strain of the virus involved.
Anyways ... thanks for your information.