A letter to The Lancet questions whether the flu vaccine prevents death. It notes that most studies skip this key outcome and use designs that do not track mortality. Better research is needed to confirm real benefits.
The letter by Eyal Shahar from the Brownstone Institute raises a vital point about flu vaccine research. It was sent to The Lancet Regional Health Europe. Shahar focuses on a recent study by Faksova and team from January 2026. He argues that preventing death is the true goal of vaccines, yet most test-negative studies ignore this endpoint entirely.
This gap matters because vaccine effectiveness claims often rest on milder outcomes like reduced symptoms. Without data on actual deaths, the full picture stays unclear. Shahar calls for studies that directly measure flu-related mortality in large groups to provide solid answers.
Public health relies on accurate information about vaccines. Including death as an endpoint would strengthen trust and guide better policies. The letter urges journals and researchers to address this shortcoming in future work on flu prevention.
Original Author: Eyal Shahar | Source: Brownstone Institute
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