The FDA's independent vaccine advisers unanimously voted to recommend that U.S. flu shot formulations for the next respiratory virus season mirror those of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee endorsed the inclusion of a new variant, subclade K, in the egg-, cell- and recombinant-based flu vaccines. This decision was made after this variant surfaced last fall, leading to a severe flu season for which vaccines were not well-matched. The CDC published early estimates Thursday suggesting flu vaccine effectiveness from September through February was about 40 percent against disease-associated outpatient visits and hospitalizations for children and teens. The FDA has since scaled back advisory committee meetings in favor of “expert panels” focusing on many of Commissioner Marty Makary’s personal priorities.