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American Morning
New Flu Fighter
Aired June 18, 2003 - 09:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: There is a new, user friendly way to fight the flu. No needle is necessary. government regulators OK'd the first-ever flu vaccine in the form of a nasal spray.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta here to tell us about that.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I am so excited. And this was is perfect for Mr. Bill "I'm so scared of that flu shot" Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I never said I was scared. I just think sometimes you get sick from it.
GUPTA: Let me tell you something about the flu -- the flu myths -- the flu myth. The FDA has approved this now. This is actually a mist that goes up the nose as opposed to getting a shot. It's been tested in kids 5 to 17, as well as adults 18 to 49. That's what's been tested, and 87 percent effective now in terms of preventing the flu. So those are some very good numbers.
The way that works basically, they use three strains of the existing flu virus. This is a live virus. That's different than the shot, which is actually a killed virus. So a live virus. But this virus does not get you sick. It actually is formulated in such a way so it doesn't actually grow at your body's temperature. You shouldn't get sick from the flu mist. It also will make the flu shot, which sometimes we've been hearing is in shortage of supply, more readily available for people who are elderly.
HEMMER: Anyone that should not get this? Who?
GUPTA: Because it's a live virus, people are concerned about people who have weak immune system, people who have HIV/AIDS, people with chemotherapy, things like that. Mostly, the healthy population, 5 to 49 tested in so far. I think it's a good thing.
A little more expensive, 40 bucks for this compared to about 20 bucks to the flu shot, but I think a lot more people will take this, especially if they're scared of the needles.
KAGAN: He's still not getting one, I'll tell you right now.
HEMMER: Just for the record, a couple years ago I get a flu shot, right, 24 hours later, I was on my back, sick as a dog.
GUPTA: I'll tell you then, in all honesty, it couldn't have been the flu shot. That would take at least six to seven days to actually make you sick.
HEMMER: That's why we keep you around.
KAGAN: Now we know.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 18, 2003 - 09:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: There is a new, user friendly way to fight the flu. No needle is necessary. government regulators OK'd the first-ever flu vaccine in the form of a nasal spray.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta here to tell us about that.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I am so excited. And this was is perfect for Mr. Bill "I'm so scared of that flu shot" Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I never said I was scared. I just think sometimes you get sick from it.
GUPTA: Let me tell you something about the flu -- the flu myths -- the flu myth. The FDA has approved this now. This is actually a mist that goes up the nose as opposed to getting a shot. It's been tested in kids 5 to 17, as well as adults 18 to 49. That's what's been tested, and 87 percent effective now in terms of preventing the flu. So those are some very good numbers.
The way that works basically, they use three strains of the existing flu virus. This is a live virus. That's different than the shot, which is actually a killed virus. So a live virus. But this virus does not get you sick. It actually is formulated in such a way so it doesn't actually grow at your body's temperature. You shouldn't get sick from the flu mist. It also will make the flu shot, which sometimes we've been hearing is in shortage of supply, more readily available for people who are elderly.
HEMMER: Anyone that should not get this? Who?
GUPTA: Because it's a live virus, people are concerned about people who have weak immune system, people who have HIV/AIDS, people with chemotherapy, things like that. Mostly, the healthy population, 5 to 49 tested in so far. I think it's a good thing.
A little more expensive, 40 bucks for this compared to about 20 bucks to the flu shot, but I think a lot more people will take this, especially if they're scared of the needles.
KAGAN: He's still not getting one, I'll tell you right now.
HEMMER: Just for the record, a couple years ago I get a flu shot, right, 24 hours later, I was on my back, sick as a dog.
GUPTA: I'll tell you then, in all honesty, it couldn't have been the flu shot. That would take at least six to seven days to actually make you sick.
HEMMER: That's why we keep you around.
KAGAN: Now we know.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
