OHIO — Jackie Godic always gets her flu shot.

“I’m very pro-vaccine," she said. "If I can keep myself even a little bit safer, I’m happy to do it.”

What You Need To Know

  • Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and tens of thousands of people die from the flu

  • Health experts explain while the standard flu vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing the flu, it protects against serious illness and death

  • Pfizer believes mRNA technology used to create COVID-19 vaccines could be the key to better protection against other viruses, including the flu

  • Phase 3 of a mRNA flu vaccine clinical trial is underway now at sites across the country, including here in Ohio

But she said she knows not everyone feels that way.

“I think it’s because some years it’s not as effective as others. They’re kind of like, 'does it really work?' You know, there’s just a little bit of doubt," she said.

She said she hopes the clinical trial she’s part of could help change perceptions. The mother of two is enrolled in a Phase 3 randomized observer-blinded study that could prove the efficacy and safety of a new kind of flu vaccine using mRNA technology. efficiency

Participants will receive either the standard flu vaccine or Pfizer’s mRNA flu vaccine candidate.

 

The trial is recruiting 25,000 adults who have not yet received their flu shot at 224 sites nationwide, including here in Ohio. Senders Pediatrics in South Euclid, near Cleveland, is one location in northeast Ohio.

“I’m going to text my friends. I’m going to ask my husband and try to see who hasn’t gotten their flu shot and who wants to sign up for this because, you know, there’s no placebo. You’re getting either the old flu shot or the new flu shot. So either way, you’re good," said Godic.

Dr. Shelly Senders is the founder and CEO of Senders Pediatrics.

His practice has been a site for 220 research studies over the last 20 years, including Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. Godic and her two kids took part in that study, too.

“This is an example of where COVID has really given us a tool that can help us in medicine in general," said Senders.

Senders said the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine showed the possibilities of mRNA. It showed the technology could likely better protect people against other viruses, like the flu.

“The decision about the flu vaccine is made in February based on information from the southern hemisphere and often they get it wrong, which is why the flu vaccine doesn’t always match with the actual disease that’s circulating in December, January and February," Senders said. "So, mRNA technology is actually perfect for this type of problem.”

That’s because Senders said the mRNA flu vaccine can be tailor-made to target whatever strain is going around.

He described mRNA as a megaphone that gives specific instructions to your immune system.

“It’s there for less than 48 hours, but like a megaphone, it says it’s time to make protection against this particular virus," he said.

Another key benefit of this kind of vaccine is how it’s made. Senders explained the standard flu shot requires the use of billions of eggs to produce enough vaccine for people around the world. 

“mRNA technology eliminates that and so the impact on our food source, on eggs, a source of protein, is unbelievable," said Senders. "We may be able to get better protection with more food available."

Senders said mRNA has the potential to create vaccines for other viruses such as RSV, measles and chickenpox.

He said he's hopeful this study will lead to increased trust in the flu shot.

“Over the next couple of years, this technology has the potential to really change how we view flu vaccine and how we view influenza disease. Maybe we can get rid of a lot of the misery and a lot of the death that's associated with influenza," he said.

That’s something Godic said she can get behind.

“I’m not a scientist. I don’t know a lot about science. But I’m happy to do this small bit that I can do further the science," she said.