# FluMist Not for Those over 49??

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flumist-not-for-those-over-49/203383>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 23, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flumist-not-for-those-over-49/203383 "2003-09-23T19:28:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flumist-not-for-those-over-49/203383/1 "2003-09-23T19:28:06Z")

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So says its maker and marketeer, MedImmune, Inc. and Wyeth Vaccines. Why not? I can understand that age may be a factor in any medicine, but many over age 50 are in better health and have a better immune system that those under. Why categorically state it is not for those 50 and over? They do say for “healthy people ages 5 to 49,” but why put an age limit on it? Why not for “healthy people over the age of 4”?

(FluMist is a substance you inhale instead of getting a vaccine to prevent flus.)

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**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flumist-not-for-those-over-49/203383/2 "2003-09-23T20:19:43Z")

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[Why is FluMist only for the healthy? First, FluMist is made of live but weakened flu virus considered too risky for people with compromised immune systems; the shot is made of killed virus. The spray’s safety hasn’t been proved in older people or those with chronic illnesses. As for youngsters, a study found those under 5 were at increased risk of suffering asthma-like attacks after FluMist had been squirted up their noses.](http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/conditions/09/23/flu.vaccine.ap/index.html)

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flumist-not-for-those-over-49/203383/3 "2003-09-23T20:44:01Z")

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Yeah, but “older people” is a vague term. 30 is older than 20. 5 is older than 4. OTOH, 50 is younger than 80, as is 66 (my age). My point is that the criteria of “older” is not valid. At least I don’t see the validity of age, per se, being a criterion. If you have a healthy immune system, age should not be a factor, IMHO.