What Pharma Companies Are Doing to Combat the Flu in 2023

Nobody likes being sick. Viruses often overstay their welcome, and symptoms like coughing could linger far beyond when you start feeling better. Big pharma and the flu go hand-in-hand during the winter. You'll start seeing signs for free flu shots at participating businesses. You might even get a flu shot yourself — or you might think they don't really work.

The 2022–2023 season alone saw around 650,000 hospitalizations with tens of thousands of deaths. ⁽¹⁾ The best thing you can do is protect your household, however that may look for you and your loved ones. You might consider changing your daily hygiene habits, or you could research more about how pharmaceuticals and vaccines can assist you and your family.

Dr. Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC, said in one of his works that "self-care is a form of self-respect." Cole works with several autoimmune conditions and other disorders, and is a proponent of just how good taking care of yourself actually is. While you do all you can to bolster your immunity, remember that pharmaceutical companies can help ease the strain of flu season as well.

How Pharmaceutical Companies Have Helped In Years Past

Last year, you may have noticed the big three viruses swirling around the holiday season — COVID-19, RSV, and influenza. This year, the season may be just as dangerous for your health, so it's important to know your options for protecting yourself. You can often predict how the season will play out by looking at past flu seasons to note how severe they were.

One notable accomplishment was a flu vaccine developed specifically for people 65 and over. This dose contains four times the regular antigen you see in a regular influenza vaccine. ⁽²⁾ The Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine was recommended to older adults in the 2022-2023 flu season.

Solutions have come up for numerous complications, like those who are sensitive to eggs as an ingredient. Flu vaccines are more accessible than ever before and seek to lessen the effects of the flu on society. Unfortunately, because the shot’s effectiveness only lasts around six months, you'll need to get a new vaccine each flu season. ⁽³⁾ Luckily, you'll have ample opportunities to find your vaccine at doctor's offices, urgent cares, and even drugstores.

What to Expect From the 2023 Flu Season

Ideally, your household should hope for the best but expect the worst, meaning you should guard yourself against influenza or any other viruses your loved ones are susceptible to. One of the best ways to raise your defense against the flu is to get the vaccine each year — which is optimized to the most dominant strain — to lessen your chances of contracting severe illness.

Gone are the days when vaccines were solely created using eggs. Nowadays, some vaccines are created using cells instead, so people allergic to eggs or egg-based products can get the necessary vaccines without worry. You don't need to fear getting the flu vaccine this year, even if you’re allergic to eggs — just let a health care provider know your allergies beforehand.

Most of the vaccines will be thimerosal-free or reduced, and almost a quarter of them will have no egg-based ingredients. The United States will see up to 170 million doses of the flu vaccine for the 2023-2024 season, ensuring plenty will be at your local pharmacy or doctor's office. ⁽⁴⁾ If you're immunocompromised or tend to get sick easily, opting for the influenza vaccine is the best choice you can make.

While being vaccinated is better than not having a vaccination, the 10% effectiveness might leave some people wondering if it's worth it. ⁽⁵⁾ Pharmaceutical companies are in the race to offer an mRNA vaccine, which had major successes during the COVID-19 pandemic with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Because fewer people are getting the COVID-19 vaccine booster each year, companies have noticed profits and shares dropping. ⁽⁶⁾ Likely, this drop in profits — as well as the gap in medicine — led these big businesses to pursue a new type of flu vaccine that could help a wider range of people, much like the COVID-19 vaccines did. Big pharma and the flu are the next biggest pairing.

These experimental mRNA flu vaccines might offer greater resistance to seasonal influenza. It's too early to say anything for sure, but you might soon get the option to go for an mRNA vaccine that could be more effective than the traditional flu shot you get each year. Stay glued to the news if it's something you're interested in — you may have the chance to be first in line once professionals make it available to the public.

The idea that mRNA vaccines would branch out from COVID-19 to other, more well-known viruses isn't unfounded. Research and development go into making new strides in science every decade. In 2018, a total of 59 new drugs were approved — the highest in a single-year period of the decade. ⁽⁷⁾

While things might not change drastically in time for you to get your flu vaccine this year, you can be sure a transformation is coming. The 2023–2024 flu season promises change in the future, including vaccines that are more accessible to people with allergies or sensitivities. However, these vaccine upgrades aren't the only way to protect yourself from severe illness. You can also protect yourself by changing your hygiene habits.

How You Can Decrease Your Risk for Flu

With so much research going into new pharmaceuticals, you should feel safe taking any vaccine. Still, getting one doesn't mean you won't get the flu — it just means the chances of you having a severe case are less likely. There are other ways to minimize your risk of getting flu this season, as pairing preventative measures with vaccines is typically the greatest way to keep yourself and your household healthy.

Respiratory viruses can hurt you, especially if your lungs aren't strong enough to handle them. With the flu, you may gain gastrointestinal issues alongside common symptoms like fever, sore throat, and cough. Illnesses present differently in everyone, so there's no guarantee your bout of the flu or other conditions will look the same as someone else's in your household.

Some things you can do to decrease your risk of contracting a respiratory virus like the flu include the following:

• Change out of clothes when you get home from crowded spaces.
• Cover your face with your arm instead of your hand when coughing or sneezing.
• Shower or bathe regularly.
• Take dietary supplements like elderberry to boost your immunity.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Wear a mask when you're feeling sick or around someone who is.

You may think these changes don't matter, but they can make a huge difference in keeping you safe. In the 2019–2020 flu season, up to 56 million people caught the flu, with around 62,000 assumed deaths recorded. ⁽⁸⁾ Small changes in your routine might help you avoid serious illness.

Once you start listening to your body, you'll find natural ways to support your immunity. You can take supplements specifically designed to fill in the gaps your diet leaves. "When it comes to getting over a cold or flu fast, I want to go straight to the source," says Dr. Cole as he speaks of the dietary supplement he created to do just that.

"Both Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 are essential to a healthy immune system and are responsible for controlling inflammation and immune system regulation." ⁽⁹⁾ Finding the right supplements to add to your diet can help your body feel more nourished and prepared for anything.

Caring for yourself is important, no matter the season. Big pharma and the flu will always be around, but that doesn't mean you should have to go through the same illness every year. Once you have the flu, you never really forget it — and you may be more inclined to take measures to avoid catching it the next year, including boosting your immune system naturally and practicing excellent hygiene.

How Big Pharma and the Flu Affect One Another

Just as the flu continues to persist every year, pharmaceutical companies do the same to stop it and viruses like it. Big pharma and the flu are two constants during the coldest months of the year. Luckily, advancements in research and development have helped humans learn more about viruses over the years, allowing scientists to better educate people on keeping themselves healthy.

Year after year, you'll have to get another flu shot, but the efficacy might change over time. Like the potential mRNA flu vaccines, new successes are being discovered every day. Eventually, everyone will be able to take the steps they see fit to champion their own health, and you may feel like you have more than one option. Trust the safe ways to care for yourself, and you'll breeze through the flu season with ease.

References:

(1) Nania R. How Bad Will Flu Season Be This Year? AARP. Published September 22, 2023. Accessed October 16, 2023. https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2023/flu-season-forecast.html

(2) Fluzone High-Dose Seasonal Influenza Vaccine. Published 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/qa_fluzone.htm

(3) Where To Get a Free Flu Shot Right Now—With or Without Insurance. Health. Published November 21, 2022. https://www.health.com/condition/flu/where-to-get-free-flu-shot

(4) Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Supply for the U.S. 2020-2021 Influenza Season | CDC. www.cdc.gov. Published October 15, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaxsupply.htm

(5) MRNA Could Reinvent Vaccines. The Flu Is Next. The Transmission. Published October 4, 2023. https://www.unmc.edu/healthsecurity/transmission/2023/10/04/mrna-could-reinvent-vaccines-the-flu-is-next/

(6) Erman M, Burger L, Mishra M. Pfizer’s COVID outlook cuts hit other vaccine maker shares. Reuters. Published October 16, 2023. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/biontech-will-likely-take-900-mln-eur-write-off-pfizer-partnered-vaccines-2023-10-16/.

(7) Austin D, Hayford T. Research and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry | Congressional Budget Office. Congressional Budget Office. Published April 2021. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/57126

(8) Bailey J. Never had a flu shot before? Make this year your first. MagnaCare. Published November 6, 2020. https://www.magnacare.com/never-had-a-flu-shot-before-make-this-year-your-first/

(9) Our Current Healthy Obsessions: Natural Remedies For Cold + Flu | Dr. Will Cole. Published October 10, 2022. https://drwillcole.com/staff-obsessions/our-current-healthy-obsessions-natural-cold-flu-remedies