The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the formula for the influenza vaccine for all six manufacturers equipped to produce and distribute the shots for the 2012-2013 season. Experts from the World Health Organization, the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) closely study influenza virus samples and patterns of global disease in order to identify strains that are most likely to cause illness during the approaching flu season.

With information and recommendations from the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the following strains have been chosen to be in included in vaccines for the upcoming season:

  • A/Callifornia/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus
  • A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus
  • B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus

The H1N1 virus is the same as the strain that was included in vaccines from the 2011-2012 season, but the H3N2 and B strains are different. This year’s vaccine will strive to protect against the three virus strains that are most likely to be the most prominent strains during this flu season. Vaccines remain essential in influenza prevention. Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease caused by different virus strains infecting the nose, throat, and lungs.

Each year there is a possibility that the virus stains predicted to circulate and the actual strains that end up causing the most illness do not match. Although the vaccine and the circulating strains may not be an exact match, the vaccine can reduce the severity of the illness and prevent some related complications.

Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research says, “It is especially important to get vaccinated this year because two of the three virus strains used in this season’s influenza vaccines differ from the strains included in last year’s vaccines.”

Between 5 and 20 percent of the U.S. population develops influenza each year, according to the CDC. This can create more than 200,000 hospitalizations from flu related complications. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advises all people age six months or older to receive an annual influenza vaccine to help prevent hospitalizations and deaths. Health care providers play a valuable role in advising patients to get vaccinated and keep their families safe from influenza.

The manufacturers licensed to produce the nation’s 2012-2013 flu vaccines and the brand names of the vaccines for the upcoming flu season are:

  • Afluria-manufactured by CSL Limited
  • Fluarix-manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals
  • FluLaval-manufactured by ID Biomedical Corporation
  • FluMist-manufactured by MedImmune Vaccines Inc.
  • Fluvirin-manufactured by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited
  • Fluzone-Fluzone High-Dose and Fluzone Intradermal, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur

Written by Kelly Fitzgerald