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SLU to Test Flu Vaccines

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Robert Belsche (UPI file photo)

By Kevin Lavery, KWMU

St. Louis, MO. – Physicians at St. Louis University are looking for volunteers to take part in two new flu vaccine studies.

One experimental vaccine is for people over age 65, and delivers four times the current dose.

The other involves a nasal spray that's already given to children over five years old, but will be studied in kids aged six months to three years.

Dr. Robert Belshe with the St. Louis University School of Medicine says researchers will compare the mist with the standard flu shot.

"So we're interested in broadening the age range for using the nasal spray vaccine, as well as seeing whether or not there's any interaction between the two vaccines," Belshe said. "It may be that we can actually get even better immune response by having first a Flu Mist spray and then a flu shot."

Clinical trials for the elderly and children volunteers will last up to three months.

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