In a change of tack, Europe's drugs watchdog said today that giving a single dose of GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix or Novartis's Focetria swine flu vaccines would suffice for most people.
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) had previously said two doses were preferable, although many governments have already been pushing ahead with single-shot immunisation programmes for adults.
"For both vaccines, a single dose may be used in adults aged between 18 and 60 years and in children and adolescents, from the age of nine years for Focetria and from 10 years for Pandemrix," the EMEA said in its latest statement following a monthly meeting of experts.
Focetria and Pandemrix can be also been given at the same time as seasonal flu vaccines, it added. The updated position follows a review of the latest clinical data.
In the case of Baxter International's Celvapan, however, the agency said that the data were still being assessed.
Last week the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health reiterated that the swine flu vaccines being used here in Ireland - which are the Pandermix and Celvapan brands - had been tried and licensed and are fully safe.
Reuters