Reports of Expired Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine Being Administered — United States, 2007–2014

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months. Two vaccine types are approved in the United States, injectable inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which is administered intranasally. Influenza vaccine typicaly becomes widely available beginning in late summer or early fall. IIV has a standard expiration date of June 30 for any given influenza season (July 1 through June 30 of the following year). In contrast, after release for distribution, LAIV generally has an 18-week shelf life (Christopher Ambrose, MedImmune, personal communication, 2014). Because of its relatively short shelf life, LAIV might be more likely than IIV to be administered after its expiration date. To assess that hypothesis, CDC analyzed reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) of expired LAIV administered during July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2014.