FDA Panel Unanimously Backs Moderna mRNA Flu Vaccine

An FDA advisory panel voted unanimously Thursday to recommend approval of Moderna's mRNA-based flu vaccine for older adults — the first flu shot built on the same technology platform used in COVID-19 vaccines. The full FDA typically follows such recommendations. Final approval would make mRNA flu shots available to the more than 150 million Americans who receive flu vaccines annually.

The vote follows a delayed review. A Trump administration official blocked the agency from reviewing the vaccine in February, raising concerns about political interference in drug approvals. Thursday's result: unanimous. mRNA vaccines instruct cells to produce a protein that trains the immune system -- a faster, more flexible process than traditional flu shots grown in eggs. Researchers hope the platform lets manufacturers update vaccines more quickly as flu strains shift each season.