A new study has examined the effect of flu vaccine in preventing heart attack – while one expert warns of subpar overall uptake and the Guild calls for vaccine harmonisation.

A study presented at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting 2019 in Adelaide last week found extending National Immunisation Program (NIP) flu vaccines to 50 year olds could potentially prevent up to 1,482 heart attacks.

Professor Raina MacIntyre, Head of the Biosecurity Research Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Medicine and an Immunisation Coalition member, commented on the study, saying that “Evidence from several studies indicates that annual vaccination against seasonal influenza reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular conditions”. READ MORE