[vimy]

We don’t do clinical trials for the yearly flu vaccine update, do we?

[heavyset_go]

> We don’t do clinical trials for the yearly flu vaccine update, do we?

Yes, we do[1][2].

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/effectivenessqa.htm

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947948/

[s1artibartfast]

We also have 80 years of experience with the flu vaccine opposed to 8 months

[SECProto]

> We also have 80 years of experience with the flu vaccine opposed to 8 months

8 months is incorrect. Here's[1] an article from 17 months ago about results from Moderna's covid-19 trials for vaccinations dating back to mar16 2020. So it's been 21 months, not 8 (and that's ignoring trials of mRNA vaccines years earlier as they weren't for this specific virus)

[1] https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/07/hopeful-...

[s1artibartfast]

We can split hairs on what constitutes experience, or when it starts. but the point still stands: We have a lot more experience with the flu vaccine.

This is the answer for why not all annual flu vaccines need clinical trials.

[ashildr]

„the flu vaccine“?

Which one?

[s1artibartfast]

The first vaccines in 1933 were against A type influenzas, followed by vaccines against against B type influenzas in 1942.

Here is a pretty good summary of the history of vaccine development.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/812621_1

While nearly all influenza vaccines generate similar antibodies, Covid and influenza vaccines generate significantly different antibodies

Influenza vaccines generate antibodies against influenza Hemagglutinin proteins targeting sialic acid receptors

Covid vaccines generate antibodies for (S) glycoproteins targeting ACE-2 receptors.

In short, we have 80+ years of experience generating antibodies for hemagglutinin, and much less for (S) glycoproteins.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_spike_protein

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemagglutinin_(influenza)

[GeekyBear]

Yes, but it's a greatly abbreviated process for each year's new version of the Flu vaccine.

Going forward, the FDA has already said that a reformulation of the mRNA Covid vaccine would face a similarly shortened approval process.

>FDA says Covid vaccines that target new variants won’t need large clinical trials to win approval

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/22/covid-vaccine-fda-says-shots...

[spurgu]

This reminds me of the 737 MAX.