As with any medication, individuals should check with their health care provider before receiving any flu vaccines. According to the approved package insert, the following people should not get the intranasal influenza vaccine: - Adults 50 years of age or older, or children younger than 5 should not receive FluMist.
- FluMist should not be given for any reason to people with immune suppression. This includes people with primary immune deficiency diseases, as well as people with immune deficiencies related to HIV infection, cancer, or other conditions, and people who are being treated with drugs that cause immunosuppression.
- The safety of FluMist in people with asthma or other reactive airway diseases has not been established, and therefore, is not recommended for use in patients with a history of reactive airway problems.
- Additionally, FluMist should not be given to people with chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose them to severe flu infections. For these people, the injected vaccine is indicated.
- Individuals with egg allergies should not receive this or any other flu vaccine without first consulting their physicians.
- People who have health problems associated with heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, or metabolic diseases such as diabetes, anemia and other blood disorders should not receive FluMist.
- Because Reye syndrome in children has been associated with administration of aspirin during influenza virus infections, FluMist is not recommended in children and adolescents 5-17 years of age if they are receiving aspirin or aspirin-containing therapy.
- Pregnant women should not receive FluMist.
- Anyone with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) should not receive FluMist.
- FluMist recipients should avoid close contact (e.g., within the same household) with anyone with a weakened immune system for at least 21 days after receiving the vaccine.
| 
