Nov. 14--This year's flu shot may hurt a little less.
A new shot that injects the vaccine just under the skin rather than deep into the muscle is available for the first time. For needle-phobes, it's especially good news: the needle is a mere 0.06 inches long, about the width of a lower-case letter printed in this newspaper.
By comparison, the needle of a traditional flu shot is 1 to 1.5 inches long.
Needle haters "are happy they don't have to have that big needle going into their muscle," said Athena Coloma, a nurse who gives the shot at Albany Medical's Latham Medical/Pediatrics office.
While the re-engineered prick may not hurt as much, the injection of the fluid into the skin feels just as icky as the traditional flu shot. This reporter can vouch for that. Some people describe it as a cold or burning sensation. On the plus side, your arm muscle doesn't get that familiar flu-shot ache, but it might itch.
The flu season is just starting in New York. Generally, illness starts to show up in November and continues through April, but January and February are the peak months. Because it takes two weeks for a flu shot to build protection in the body, health officials advise people to get the shot early.
Each year, the flu kills about 36,000 people nationwide. Dr. Laura Staff, a family doctor in Colonie, said last year she was personally involved with flu cases of a middle-aged person who ended up on a ventilator in the ICU, a baby who landed in the ICU with seizures, and a patient who lost an otherwise healthy relative to the illness.
"Get the flu shot," Staff said.
The small-needle Fluzone Intradermal vaccine joins a very short list of alternatives to the traditional flu shot. The only other delivery method is a nasal spray called FluMist, which has been around since 2003. "For me, that's the one kids are happy to use," said Dr. Ann Rutter, a physician with Community Care's Albany Family Practice Group.
All of the flu vaccines fight the same flu strains and have similar levels of protection. The nasal spray is slightly more effective for children while adults appear to get better protection from the shot, according to The Medical Letter, a group that assesses drug efficacy.
"If people have a needle phobia, they would probably prefer the FluMist because the intradermal still has a needle," said Dr. Mark Abramowicz, editor of The Medical Letter. But when given a choice of needle size, most people opt for a smaller needle, said a spokeswoman for company that produces the FluZone Intradermal.
"Why have a needle stuck deep into your muscle, when you can get a skin prick," said Donna Cary of Sanofi Pasteur.
In other flu shot news, a new high-dose vaccine is widely available for senior citizens this year. FluZone High Dose has four times more antigen -- the part of the vaccine that stimulates the body to make more antibodies.
"As we age, our antibody response is not as robust as it was when we were young," said Rutter, of Community Care Physicians.
Research has not proven that seniors actually create more antibodies with the high-dose vaccine, but Rutter said that it makes sense that they would.
The shot, which is only for people older than 65, has higher rates of side effects like headaches, low-grade fever and soreness in the first 24 hours after it is administered.
The small-needle intradermal vaccine may be hard to find this year. The U.S. Food and Drug administration approved it in May, months after most doctor's offices and drug stores had placed their vaccine orders. Price Chopper has a supply of the intradermal shots.
Albany Medical Center bought 18,000 regular injectibles and picked up a few hundred of the new needles when they became available. "We are offering it to employees who might be needle-shy," said Michael Belemjian, director of pharmacy at Albany Med. "From what I've heard, it appears that it is going well."
Belemjian is impressed with the all-in-one delivery system. Traditionally, the flu vaccine arrives in a syringe with no needle and the doctor provides the needle. The FluZone Intradermal has both parts and includes a shield that covers the needle once the dose is injected. It costs about $2 more.
The company believes the new option may help increase immunization rates. The shot is only available to people ages 18 to 64 years old because the research still needs to be done on skin thickness in younger and older people, Cary said. At Albany Med, Belemjiam said he plans to order more of the small needles next year.
Reach Crowley at 454-5348 or ccrowley@timesunion.com.
At a glance
2011-2012 Seasonal flu vaccines:
Vaccine Formulation Mercury Age Cost*
Afluria (CSL Biotherapies) Single dose syringe None 9 and older $11
Multidose vial 24.5 mcg 9 and older $10
Fluarix (GSK) Single dose syringe None 3 and older $11
FluLaval (GSK) Multidose vial 25 mcg 18 and older $8
Fluvirin (Novartis) Single dose syringe1 mcg 4 and older $14
Multidose vial 25 mcg 4 and older $12
Fluzone (Sanofi Pasteur) Single dose syringe None 6 months, 3 years $13
Single dose vial None 3 and older $12
Multidose vial 25 mcg 6 months and older $11
Fluzone High Dose (Sanofi Pasteur) Single dose syringe None 65 and older $28
Fluzone Intradermal (Sanofi Pasteur) Single dose syringe None 18 to 65 years $16
FluMist nasal (MedImmune)Single dose spray None 2 to 49 years $20
Source: Adapted with permission from The Medical Letter
*Cost is the per dose cost that manufacturer's charge to pharmacies, doctors and other buyers.
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