A half-dose flu shot has been found to be sufficient to trigger an immune response in healthy adults, especially for women and those under 50 who've had prior flu vaccinations. A report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that using half-doses in healthy young people may be a way of coping with vaccine shortages.

The study involved healthy adults, aged 18 to 64, during the 2004-05 flu season. A full-dose flu shot was administered to 554 participants and a half-dose shot to 556 participants.

The research also found that women of all ages had a greater immune response to both doses of the flu vaccine than men. Women who received the half dose had similar antibody responses as men who received the full dose.

 

Claire Yezbak Fadden is the Associate Editor of LifeAfter50.com.