Taking the pinch out of seasonal flu jabs

Taking the pinch out of seasonal flu jabs
NZ gets Intanza® – the world’s smallest intradermal influenza injection

Australian research has shown that more than one-quarter (28 per cent) of people who are at risk of serious complications or death from getting the flu don’t get a seasonal influenza injection due to a fear of needles1.

But from this week, there is an answer for Kiwis who want a flu vaccination but are afraid of needles. They now can choose Intanza®, the world’s smallest intradermal (ID) influenza vaccine.

Intanza® is minimally invasive and features a tiny 1.5mm micro-needle that is 90 per cent shorter, and also thinner, than a regular needle.

In the 2009 flu season, almost a quarter (960,000) of all Kiwis received a flu vaccination2. And, with the introduction of Intanza® - the world-first intradermal (ID) system – this number could improve.

Intanza’s® design and technology take advantage of the skin’s ability to produce an immune response by ensuring that antigen (the component in the flu vaccine) is accurately and consistently deposited in the inner layer of the skin, where there is a high concentration of cells that helps stimulate an immune response3.

Only 20 per cent of the standard dose is required4 yet it provides the same influenza protection as the regular seasonal vaccine.

Because of the tiny needle, there is almost no risk of hitting a nerve or vein. The response from patients who have already received Intanza® in clinical trials has been overwhelmingly positive, with 80 per cent saying they would choose Intanza® for their next flu jab5. Clinical trials on Intanza® were conducted in New Zealand and Australia in 2006.

Intanza® 9µg is for adults aged 18-59 years and is presently only available in New Zealand and Australia.

To take the pinch out of seasonal flu jabs, and receive the new Intanza® influenza vaccine, patients simply need to visit their regular GP or healthcare provider and ask for Intanza®. Intanza® is an unfunded prescription medicine and costs around $10 more than a regular flu jab, although prices will vary between clinics.

The strains covered by Intanza® are the same as those covered by the regular seasonal influenza inoculation, including H1N1 Pandemic Influenza (Swine Flu).

Intanza® is a registered trademark of Sanofi Pasteur

ENDS

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