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WHAT IS FLUAD®?

FLUAD® is an influenza virus vaccine against influenza subtypes A and B contained in the vaccine for adults 65 years of age and older.

FLUAD® contains an adjuvant*

* An adjuvant is an ingredient contained in some vaccines that helps create an enhanced immune response to the vaccine.

WHY SHOULD I RECEIVE FLUAD®?

It is particularly important for some groups of people to be vaccinated. These include people with certain medical conditions, adults 65 years of age and older, people who are likely to be exposed to the infection, and people on certain medications. If you are in doubt as to whether you should be vaccinated, talk to your healthcare professionals.

FLUAD® follows the World Health Organization (WHO) and National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendation for vaccination for the northern hemisphere.

HOW DOES FLUAD® WORK?

FLUAD® provides active immunization of adults 65 years of age and older against influenza disease.

  • Like other influenza vaccines, FLUAD® causes the body to produce antibodies against the virus.
    • This means that when your body is exposed to the flu virus, your body can defend itself. The antibodies can help stop the attacking virus.
  • You cannot catch influenza from the vaccine, since it only contains portions of the virus, and not the whole live virus.
  • Your body takes 2 to 3 weeks to produce antibodies after vaccination.
    • Therefore, if you are exposed to influenza immediately before or after your vaccination, you could still develop the illness.
  • The vaccine will not protect you against the common cold, even though some of the symptoms are similar to influenza.

Influenza viruses change all the time, so different vaccines are made every year. To help stay protected against influenza, you need to be re-vaccinated every year before the winter season.

Vaccination does not provide 100% protection.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DISCUSS WITH YOUR DOCTOR?

Before going to get your FLUAD® vaccination, there are a few things you should discuss with your doctor.

Do not use FLUAD® if:

  • you have a history of hypersensitivity to egg proteins or other components of the vaccine, or to any of the excipients
  • you had a life-threatening reaction to a previous influenza vaccination

National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) states:

  • “The benefits and risks of influenza vaccination should be discussed prior to vaccination, including the risks of not being immunized.”
    and
  • “ Egg allergy is not a contraindication for influenza vaccination… Egg-allergic individuals may be vaccinated against influenza using any age-appropriate product.”

To ensure that FLUAD® is appropriate for you, talk to your healthcare professional before being vaccinated with FLUAD®.

Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have or have had:

  • If you have experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome within 6 weeks of receipt of previous influenza vaccination
  • If you are immunocompromised
  • If you have, or you think you may be getting a fever
  • If you have any known allergies or health problems
  • If you are pregnant: ask your doctor for advice
  • If you are currently on any medication (in other words, immunosuppressant, theophylline, anticoagulants such as warfarin)
No interaction between FLUAD® and other vaccines or medication is known.

HOW IS FLUAD® ADMINISTERED?

FLUAD® is only to be given by injection into a muscle administered by a healthcare professional.

Usual dose:

  • Adults aged 65 years and over: A single dose of 0.5 mL.

Overdose:

If you think you have taken too much FLUAD®, contact your healthcare professional, hospital emergency department or regional poison control center immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

What are some of the possible side effects from using FLUAD®?

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The most common of these are:

  • Fever
  • Feeling unwell
  • Shivering
  • Tiredness
  • Headache
  • Sweating
  • Muscle joint pain
  • Warmth at the injection site
These are not all the possible side effects you may feel when taking FLUAD®. If you experience any side effects not listed here, contact your healthcare professional.

Skin reactions include redness, swelling, pain, ecchymosis (blue/black staining of the skin) and a hardening of the skin at the injection site and itching. These reactions will normally disappear without treatment in a day or two.

Reporting Suspected Side Effects

For the general public: Should you experience a side effect following immunization, please report it to your healthcare professional.

Should you require information related to the management of the side effect, please contact your healthcare provider. The Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and Seqirus cannot provide medical advice.

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