US panel says it’s OK to use nasal spray flu vaccine again

NEW YORK – A federal panel says it’s OK for doctors to start using a kid-friendly nasal spray flu vaccine again.

Two years ago, the advisory group pulled its recommendation for FluMist vaccine after research found it wasn’t working against the flu bug making most people sick.

But the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices voted Wednesday to recommend the nasal spray as an option for next winter’s flu season.

The vaccine’s maker, AstraZeneca, said a small study shows a new version appears to work better.

FluMist is the only spray-in-the-nose vaccine on the market. It is approved for ages 2 through 49. Unlike other flu vaccines made from killed virus, it is made from a live but weakened flu virus.