Flu spray looks for sales boost

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Shortages of flu shots could boost disappointing sales of the needle-free vaccine FluMist this winter, but analysts say the drug's long-term outlook is dogged by a high price and limits on who can use it.

The news last Friday that the nation's two producers of traditional flu vaccine injections have run out of stock and won't be able to produce more this season has led some health agencies and consumers to turn to FluMist.

There is plenty of the nasal spray vaccine available -- only 400,000 doses out of the roughly 4 million doses made by Gaithersburg-based MedImmune and its partner, Wyeth, have been distributed to pharmacies and flu vaccine sites.

State health agencies are recommending that healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49 use FluMist and save what remains of the traditional vaccine for others.

Until last week, MedImmune had a hard time selling FluMist. Its wholesale price of $46 per dose is much higher than the cost of flu shots. And the drug -- originally billed as a painless alternative for those scared of needles -- hasn't been approved for use by toddlers and seniors.

At pharmacies in 33 Giant Food grocery stores in Virginia, FluMist sales tripled last week over the previous week for the $60 spray, a company spokesman said.