Podcast

William Schaffner, MD, on Durable Protection by a Single-Dose Universal Influenza Vaccine

10/28/2021

In this soundbite, William Schaffner, MD, speaks about the research being done on a universal influenza vaccine that would protect against a variety of different strains of influenza. This topic was presented at the 2021 virtual Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. 

Additional Resource:

  • Lo CY, Misplon J, Li X, Price G, Ye Z, Epstein S. Durable protection by a single-dose universal influenza vaccine. Presented at: Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research virtual; April 26-27, 2021. https://acvr.nfid.org/research-highlights/

William Schaffner, MD, is the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and is a professor of preventive medicine in the Department of Health Policy and a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

TRANSCRIPTION:

Jessica Bard: Hello, everyone and welcome to another installment of "Podcast 360," your go‑to resource for medical news and clinical updates. I'm your moderator, Jessica Bard, with Consultant360 Specialty Network.

The Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research has brought together infectious disease researchers and public health experts from around the world for more than 20 years. It's sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The NFIB Medical Director, Dr William Schaffner is here to speak with us about some of the most timely topics presented at the 2021 virtual Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research. Thank you for joining us today, Dr Schaffner.

Researchers have been looking for a universal influenza vaccine protecting against a variety of different strains of influenza for a long time. Can you talk to us about the research being done on durable protection by a single dose universal influenza vaccine?

Dr William Schaffner: The Annual Conference on Vaccine Research was terrific with just touch the tip of the iceberg of fascinating information. I was just looking at the abstracts and I was just fascinated with the entire spectrum of reports that came out. For example, just out of interest, here are a couple of titles that caught my fancy.

For example, people have been trying to look for a universal influenza vaccine, one that would protect against a variety of different strains of influenza. Indeed, there was one abstract that suggested we're working on such a universal influenza vaccine candidate and it looks like early on, it provides durable protection.

Stay tuned, that would be very exciting. In the three vaccine combo measles, mumps, and rubella, we know that the mumps vaccine component is, if you will, the weak sister, namely immunity to the mumps vaccine wanes before the others do and people have been trying to think of new mumps antigens. This has not been so easy.

There is one study here that suggests they are working on that and so perhaps down the road, we may have an improved mumps vaccine. This all goes to show new vaccines, improving older vaccines. The work goes on and come to the conference, it happens annually. There's always something new for all of us interested in vaccines.

Jessica: Thank you very much for your time today, Dr Schaffner, I enjoyed speaking with you.

Dr Schaffner: My great pleasure. Just remember my favorite saying, "When in doubt, vaccinate."