Can You Get the New mRNA Flu Vaccine? Here’s Everything Adults Over 50 Should Know.

A new kind of flu vaccine will be available for some adults this fall. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just granted approval to Moderna’s new flu vaccine, mFLUSIVA. Unlike other flu shots, which use a killed or weakened form of the flu virus, this new vaccine uses mRNA technology. Scientists are optimistic the vaccine can be updated faster and provide stronger protection against flu mutations. The mRNA flu vaccine will be available for adults 50 and older, though it may not be covered by all insurance plans yet. Here’s what you need to know about it:

Messenger RNA (mRNA) Gives Cells a Blueprint for Immunity

Messenger RNA (mRNA) naturally occurs in the cells of all living organisms. It carries temporary instructions that tell cells how to make proteins. Scientists first discovered mRNA and its function in 1961. 

By 1990, scientists discovered that they could inject mice with mRNA and DNA to make the mouse’s cells create a particular protein. Over the next twenty years, scientists researched how to use mRNA technology to help the body’s immune system create memory of dangerous diseases. 

By 2020, the highly contagious COVID-19 virus created an urgent need for a new vaccine. As part of Operation Warp Speed, the federal government gave vaccine manufacturers additional funding and government support, which allowed vaccine researchers to perform large-scale clinical testing alongside manufacturing. This investment helped mRNA vaccine researchers to solve problems they had been facing for decades. These advancements in mRNA technology won the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine. As a result, Moderna and Pfizer each rolled out an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite the speed of COVID-19 vaccine development, no corners were cut in testing, approval, or safety monitoring. Since their rollout in December 2020, mRNA vaccines have been continuously monitored for safety. Over the past six years, research has shown that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection, reducing symptom severity, and reducing instances of hospitalization and death.

mRNA Vaccines Help Your Body Practice Fighting Diseases

Although mRNA is sometimes referred to as “technology,” mRNA production is a part of our cells’ natural function. In vaccines, mRNA provides your cells with instructions to create a “lookalike” protein that resembles those found on the outside surface of a virus cell. The immune system recognizes this lookalike protein as an invader and creates antibodies against it. Antibodies are immune proteins that find and destroy harmful cells in our body. It’s helpful to think of mRNA as a “wanted poster.” It shows your immune system what to look for and helps it prepare an immune response without exposing you to the virus itself.

It’s important to note that mRNA does not interact with the cells’ nucleus, where DNA is stored.  The mRNA in vaccines does not alter DNA or affect our genetics at all. Once the mRNA has instructed cells to create the “lookalike” protein, the body gets rid of the mRNA just like any other waste.

The FDA’s independent advisory committee (the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee) reviews data on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. In June, the committee voted unanimously (9-0) that the benefits of Moderna’s mRNA vaccine appear to outweigh any potential risks.

mRNA Vaccines Do Not Alter DNA, Cause Cancer, or Impact Fertility

Although many scientists support continued mRNA research, the technology has become the subject of online misinformation and political controversy. Some federal leaders have questioned mRNA vaccines, despite years of research showing they are safe and effective. This debate has slowed funding and created uncertainty around future vaccine development. 

Here are some of the myths surrounding mRNA:

Myth	Fact
mRNA changes your DNA.	mRNA never enters the part of the cell where DNA is stored. It cannot change your genes.
mRNA causes infertility.	Research has found no evidence that mRNA vaccines affect fertility.
mRNA stays in your body forever.	After creating an immune response, the body gets rid of mRNA just like any other waste.
mRNA causes cancer.	Research has found no evidence that mRNA vaccines cause cancer or make cancer more aggressive.
mRNA vaccines contain microchips.	Despite being called “technology,” mRNA vaccines only contain ingredients that help the body create and recognize virus proteins. It is physically impossible for vaccines to contain a microchip.

Studies have confirmed that the mRNA vaccine is safe and does not alter the body’s normal functioning.

mRNA is Promising for Flu Prevention

As the flu virus spreads from person to person, it makes small mutations in order to escape the body’s immune memory. Eventually, these mutations change the virus enough that immunity from vaccination or past infections may not work anymore. That’s why a new flu vaccine is made each season.

Months before flu season, the FDA recommends which strains vaccine manufacturers should base that season’s vaccine on. Sometimes, the flu virus can mutate after the vaccine recipe is made. When our predictions about the flu strain don’t match how the flu has mutated, flu vaccines can range from 60% effective to just 19% effective. 

Preliminary research shows the mRNA vaccine may successfully address this challenge.

In a study of more than 40,000 adults ages 50 and older, the mRNA vaccine prevented more cases of the flu than a standard flu shot. Half of the participants received the traditional flu vaccine. The other half received the mRNA vaccine. The mRNA vaccine was 26.6% more effective at preventing flu infection than the traditional flu vaccine. The researchers also found that the mRNA vaccine seemed to produce a longer-lasting immune response. The antibodies produced by the mRNA vaccine also recognized a broader range of flu strains than current vaccines. This suggests the mRNA vaccine could be more effective at making sure the vaccine prevents the right strains; it could also mean people won’t need a flu shot as often.

Researchers did note that the mRNA vaccine caused some temporary reactions at a higher rate than other flu vaccines, including injection-site pain, fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches. These reactions are common across all vaccines, and the researchers concluded that the mRNA vaccine is still completely safe.

mFLUSIVA Availability and Insurance Coverage: What We Know So Far

mFLUSIVA will be available to adults 50 and older starting this fall. Moderna is still studying the mRNA vaccine in younger adults and is planning a separate study with children ages 9-12 this fall.

Whether mFLUSIVA will be covered for you depends on your insurer. For those covered by Medicare or Medicare Advantage Plans, mFLUSIVA vaccines are covered and reimbursable for adults ages 50-64. Otherwise, coverage will depend on your individual plan. 

If you aren’t covered for mFLUSIVA, you should still receive a traditional flu vaccine, which is covered under most insurance plans. Both vaccines will be available this fall.

Scientists have studied mRNA for decades. mRNA vaccines do not change your DNA, and they have been closely monitored for safety. The new mRNA flu vaccine could be updated faster and protect against more flu strains than today’s flu shots.