AstraZeneca ‘takes out FluMist ad’

AstraZeneca has reportedly taken out a full-page colour advertisement in the New York Times to promote its FluMist vaccination.

News portal Seeking Alpha has expressed its surprise at this decision, noting that promotion for flu vaccines has traditionally been restricted to media alerts, health warnings and public service announcements.

FluMist was developed and brought to market by MedImmune before being purchased by AstraZeneca, while the news site speculates the advert may have been promoted by the “mediocre” sales of the nasal vaccine, which saw revenues of $55 million (30 million pounds) in the last flu season.

“It’s just kinda strange to see a big ad for a flu vaccine, especially in the middle of summer,” journalist Mike Huckman said.

He added his assumption the advertisement is designed to capitalise on the back-to-school shopping season.

In October 2007, FluMist was given approval for expanded use in children aged two to five-years-old by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The vaccine received approval from the regulator for active immunisation for the prevention of disease by influenza A and B viruses in people aged two to 49, becoming the second manufacturer in the US to produce a vaccine for children under the age of four.