The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the first flu vaccine that doesn’t need to be given by a healthcare provider.

Intended for use in people 2 to 49 years old, the FluMist nasal spray influenza vaccine has been used in doctor's offices since 2003.

What You Need To Know

  • The Food and Drug Administration approved the first self-administered nasal spray flu vaccine Friday

  • FluMist is the first flu vaccine that doesn't need to be given by a healthcare provider

  • The FDA first approved FluMist in 2003

  • FluMist requires a prescription

“Today’s approval of the first influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration provides a new option for receiving a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine potentially with greater convenience, flexibility and accessibility for individuals and families," FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Director Peter Marks said in a statement.

“Getting vaccinated each year is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness in a substantial proportion of the U.S. population every year.”

Flu is one of the most common and contagious respiratory diseases in the United States. About 36,000 Americans die from the flu every year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Flu season typically begins in October, peaks between December and February and lasts through May.

Manufactured by the pharmaceutical maker AstraZeneca, FluMist requires a prescription.

AstraZeneca said it intends to make FluMist available through a third-party online pharmacy that can fill the prescription if it is approved and mail it to the person who placed the order. 

The FDA advises that FluMist be administered by a caregiver in individuals under the age of 18.