Many of you have been asking about the influenza shots for the coming season. Some have expressed concern that the ‘cell-based’ influenza shots for this year might be morally compromised. The good news is that none of the flu shots for this year were developed or produced using fetal cell lines. Most of the formulations are still based on avian cells – chicken eggs, basically. The cell-based shots used one of two cell lines – the Sf9 insect cell line or the MDCK canine cell line. The following information was taken, in part, from the FDA website:

Fluad Quadrivalent – Egg based

Afluria Quadrivalent – Egg based

Flucelvax Quadrivalent – MDCK (canine) cell line

Afluria – Egg based

Flulaval – Egg based

Fluarix – Egg based

Fluvirin – Egg based

Agriflu – Egg based

Fluozone – Egg based

Flucelvax – MDCK (canine) cell line

Flublok – Sf9 insect cell line

Flumist – Egg based

Fluarix Quadrivalent – Egg based

Fluzone Quadrivalent – Egg based

Flulaval Quadrivalent– Egg based

Audenz – MDCK (canine) cell line

Influenza A/H5N1 – Egg based