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+--- Thread: One type of influenza B is extinct - out of future vaccines. (/Thread-One-type-of-influenza-B-is-extinct-out-of-future-vaccines)
One type of influenza B is extinct - out of future vaccines. - Maxmars - 03-10-2024
From LiveScience: A branch of the flu family tree has died and won't be included in future US vaccines
There are two known circulating lineages of Influenza B virus, the one that went extinct was called the B/Yamagata line. That particular virus type hasn't been detected since 2020, reportedly.
Since the late 1980's our vaccines were "quadrivalent." Now they are changing up to trivalent. (I doubt that will make them cheaper.)
A type of flu virus that used to sicken people every year hasn't been spotted anywhere on Earth since March 2020
Now, according to news reports, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unanimously agreed that Yamagata viruses should be dropped from the flu shot formulation for the 2024-2025 flu season. For the past decade, U.S. flu vaccines have protected against four types of flu — two influenza A strains and two influenza B strains — but that number will now fall to three.
The Advisers in question have been urging the US to acknowledge this extinction 2021, and then WHO sort of reiterated it last year. But the pharmaceutical industry interests seem to have kept the change from being made official.
... leaders in the pharmaceutical industry argued that manufacturers would need more time to switch to a trivalent formulation. Making the switch requires manufacturers to clear various regulatory hurdles. But with the FDA advisers pushing ahead, manufacturers are prepared to make trivalent vaccines for the U.S. starting this upcoming season...
Let's hope we've "eliminated" this particular affliction.
