The current influenza vaccines vaccinate against the active binding sight (head) of the hemagglutinin. This is on of the the spots that mutates every year. The universal influenza vaccine vaccinates against the stalk of the hemagglutinin. This portion of the virus does not rapidly change. There are a number of universal vaccines in clinical trials. These clinical trials ensure the vaccine is effective and safe before it reaches the market. If the vaccines that are currently in clinical trials meet the high standards, we might see a universal flu vaccine in the near future.

At this time, CDC is participating in a broad inter-agency partnership coordinated by BARDA (https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/nivms/Pages/default.aspx ) that supports the advanced development of new and better flu vaccines. These efforts already have yielded important successes (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/advances.htm#vaccine-advances ). Part of this effort is the eventual development of a “universal vaccine” that would offer better, broader and longer-lasting protection against seasonal influenza viruses as well as novel influenza viruses. This task poses an enormous scientific and programmatic challenge, but a number of government agencies and private companies already have begun work to advance development of a universal flu vaccine.