Sudbury flu vaccine research shows early promise

Early results from Sudbury researchers have found a stronger dose of the flu vaccine can help seniors better fight the virus.

Dr. Janet McElhaney, a geriatrician and medical lead for seniors care at Health Sciences North, is leading a research team to test a flu vaccine with four times the regular dose to see how effectively it boosts the immune systems of seniors ages 65 and over.

“The purpose of my research is to look at some other aspects of the immune response, so we can have more information about why this vaccine works better,” Said McElhaney.

The five-year study is funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, using a flu vaccine developed by Sanofi Pasteur.

Last year, around 75 people, mostly seniors 65 years of age and older, were randomly given the higher-dose vaccine, or a regular dose.

Blood samples were also taken of the test subjects. Follow-up visits and analysis of the blood samples were conducted at four, 10, and 20 weeks to gauge how well the immune system was responding to the stronger doseage.

McElhaney and her team already knew the stronger vaccine would trigger a better antibody response for seniors, but they are now testing its impact on the body's “killer cells” — which learn to recognize and attack viruses.

The research findings could help pharmaceutical companies better tailor their vaccines before they start expensive trials with 30,000 or more subjects.

A more effective flu vaccine for older people is especially important, said McElhaney, because around 90 per cent of influenza deaths occur in people ages 65 and over.

Influenza is also a major cause of hospital admissions for older people and can lead to rapid deterioration and a loss of independence.