The Feds hope to come up with a more successful flu vaccine for next year

By: Associated Press | WNCT
Published: February 21, 2008

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Even while we cope with this winter's flu season, scientists are working to develop next year's flu shot.

Federal health experts have to decide what viruses to target. And they're hoping to do better than they did with this year's shot.

Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say this year's vaccine turned out to be a good match for only about 40 percent of the flu now making the rounds.

Officials indicate they'll target three strains that are not in this year's inoculation. Those bugs are circulating the planet now. One of them is called Brisbane Ten. It's responsible for much of the misery Americans are feeling now. Scientists spotted it in Australia last year. But it was too late to get anything to fight it into the vaccine for North America.

The flu vaccine has to be formulated well in advance because it takes the manufacturers a long time to come up with 100 million doses for the fall of the year they're needed.