Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jan 15;7(1):111-113.
doi: 10.31662/jmaj.2023-0122. Epub 2023 Dec 11.

Intramuscular vs. Subcutaneous: Rethinking Influenza Vaccination Strategy in Japan

Yudai Kaneda  1 , Uiri Kaneda  2 , Akihiko Ozaki  3 , Tetsuya Tanimoto  4
Affiliations

Intramuscular vs. Subcutaneous: Rethinking Influenza Vaccination Strategy in Japan

Yudai Kaneda et al. JMA J. .

Abstract

In Japan, inactivated vaccines, including the influenza vaccine, are administered subcutaneously, which is contrary to global recommendations for intramuscular injections. This practice is attributed to historical medical incidents and unchallenged conventions. However, this outdated method, which differs from that of international standards and is linked with less immunogenicity and more adverse reactions, may contribute to vaccination hesitancy. Therefore, with the adoption of intramuscular vaccination administration, which was widely adopted in the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination, a shift in the Japanese health policy to conform to international standards potentially improves vaccine acceptance and effectiveness.

Keywords: COVID-19; Influenza; International Standards; Japan; Subcutaneous Vaccination.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Ozaki reported personal fees from Medical Network Systems Inc. and Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. outside the submitted work. Dr. Tanimoto reported personal fees from Medical Network Systems Inc. and Bionics Co. Ltd. outside the submitted work.

References

    1. Okubo Y, Uda K, Miyairi I. Trends in influenza and related health resource use during 2005-2021 among children in Japan. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2023;42(8):648-53. - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine effectiveness: how well do flu vaccines work? [Internet]. [cited 2023 Oct 17]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm.
    1. Calabro GE, Rumi F, Fallani E, et al. The economic and fiscal impact of influenza vaccination for health care workers in Italy. Vaccines (Basel). 2022;10(10):1707. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Preaud E, Durand L, Macabeo B, et al. Annual public health and economic benefits of seasonal influenza vaccination: a European estimate. BMC Public Health. 2014;14(1):813. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Colombo GL, Ferro A, Vinci M, et al. Cost-benefit analysis of influenza vaccination in a public healthcare unit. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2006;2(2):219-26. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources