The Story of the Flu Vaccine (Re-Release)

It's that time of year again, everyone rolling up their sleeves to get a flu shot. This throwback episode dives into the history of the struggles pinning down the causative agent of flu and the journey to the vaccine!

• Intro 0:40
• In this episode 1:11
• The history of the flu: 1892 1:41
• What do we know about viruses? 6:29 
• Rabies and dead virus 11:17
• A Sickness in the Serum, Part 2 14:43
• 1918 16:44
• Vaccines and trials 19:13
• Pig influenza 23:12
• Influenza: a filterable agent we can’t see 27:01
• The trials of 1942 33:02
• PS: 1918 influenza 38:57
• Thanks for listening 47:42

Disclosures: Brown reports no relevant financial disclosures.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Brown at rheuminationspodcast@healio.com. Follow us on Twitter @HRheuminations @AdamJBrownMD @HealioRheum.

References:

Hicks DJ, et al. Clin Exp Immunol. 2012;doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2012.04592.x.

Rosenau MJ. Experiments Upon Volunteers to Determine the Cause and Mode of Spread of Influenza, Boston, November and December, 1918. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/f/flu/3750flu.0016.573. Published February 1921. Accessed December 6, 2023.

Rosenau MJ, et al. JAMA. 1925;doi:10.1001/jama.1925.02670070040019.

Taubenberger JK, et al. Antivir Ther. 2007;12(4 Pt B):581-91.

Tobin J. The first flu shot. https://heritage.umich.edu/stories/the-first-flu-shot/. Accessed December 6, 2023.