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FDA approves first mRNA flu vaccine for older adults
August 6, 2026
The FDA approved Moderna's mFlusiva, the first mRNA flu vaccine, for adults 50 to 65 and 65 and up, requiring an added trial in the older group.
NPR reports that mFlusiva relies on the same underlying technology as Moderna's COVID-19 shot: messenger RNA prompts the body to build its own antibody defenses against the virus. NBC News, CNN, and The New York Times all back that description. NBC News reports the regulator's terms, drawn from a Moderna release: clearance covers two bands of older adults, one running from age 50 through 65 and one beyond it, and for the oldest band the FDA conditioned approval on a further clinical study that Moderna must complete. CNN carries the same terms. NBC News also reports the milestone itself: no flu shot built on mRNA had won FDA clearance before this one.
All five outlets are aligned. The New York Times centers the regulatory decision itself, while The Washington Post presents the same news as the arrival of a new kind of flu shot, house style rather than any factual split. The details trace to Moderna's own announcement, which all five outlets carry.
The clearance, the covered age bands, and the required follow-up study are settled. Nothing in this story is contested.
Still developing
The additional clinical trial the FDA requires in adults 65 and up has not yet produced results, and no outlet reports when the vaccine reaches pharmacies or what it will cost.