Sanofi Pasteur is on the Hunt for The FLUgitives™ This Flu Season

SWIFTWATER, Pa., Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To help encourage more Americans to get their annual flu shot, Sanofi Pasteur announced today the launch of a national campaign to round up The FLUgitives™ – people who haven't yet been vaccinated against the flu this season.

These #FLUgitives live in every town in America; they could be hiding in your workplace, your gym, the grocery store, or even in your own home.  Each year in the U.S., 1 in 5 people, or up to 20 percent of the population, gets the flu and an estimated 226,000 people are hospitalized from influenza-related complications.^[i],[ii] But since the single most important thing adults can do to help prevent spreading the flu is to get their annual flu vaccination, these #FLUgitives should not wait. 

"Because flu season can begin as early as October and last through May, the best prevention for those planning to get their annual flu shot is to get it as early as possible in the season,ⁱ allowing your body time to build up its immunity,"^[iii] said Carlos E. Picone, M.D., F.C.C.P., Vice-Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. "There's no need to be a FLUgitive this year; speak with your healthcare provider about vaccination and your vaccination options, including Fluzone Intradermal vaccine."

Starting today, #FLUgitives are encouraged to come out of hiding, round up other #FLUgitives and turn themselves in to their healthcare provider to learn about the seriousness of influenza and their available vaccine options.  One option is Fluzone^® Intradermal vaccine, which uses a next-generation device with a tiny needle to quickly deliver flu vaccine just under the skin's surface.

Research has shown that social influences are a primary factor in the adoption of health behaviors.^{[iv],[v],[vi],[vii]} The FLUgitives campaign leverages the positive power of social peer influence to drive more people to help protect themselves against the flu by getting vaccinated and features four #FLUgitives whom everyone might know – or may even relate to themselves:

• The Scaredy Cat, whose anxiety about everything delays him getting a vaccine he knows he needs
• The Turbo Mom, whose hectic schedule leaves little time for focusing on her own health
• The Latest and Greatest Guy, who wants the newest version of everything, but has yet to learn about the latest in vaccine-delivery technology
• The Fitness Fanatic, who puts his workout before anything else – including his health.

#FLUgitives can turn themselves or others in by visiting the campaign Facebook page at FLUgitives.com.  There, they can access and share humorous and informational videos and e-cards to encourage other #FLUgitives to get their yearly flu vaccination. They can also see just how bad they and their friends could look if they get the flu by using the FLUify™ photo app at FLUgitives.com/fluify.           

As seen in 2012 and early 2013, influenza seasons are unpredictable and can be severe. According to the CDC, influenza activity during the 2012-2013 flu season started about four weeks early and was intense.^[viii] Learn more about the flu and vaccination options now so you can stop running as a FLUgitive. Visit FLUgitives.com and like the page, FLUify your photos with our FLUify app and follow @FLUgitives on Twitter.  Be sure to use the hashtag #FLUgitives.  A shareable digital capsule can also be found at fluzone.com/FLUgitives.

To find out where Fluzone Intradermal vaccine is available in your area, visit Fluzone.com or talk to your healthcare provider for more information.

About Influenza

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death. Each year in the U.S., 1 in 5 people, or up to 20 percent of the population gets the flu and an estimated 226,000 people are hospitalized from influenza-related complications. Influenza seasons are unpredictable and can be severe. Depending on virus severity during the influenza season, annual deaths can range from a low of 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people. Combined with pneumonia, influenza is the nation's ninth leading cause of death. Vaccination is safe and effective and the best way to help prevent influenza and its complications.

Indication

Fluzone Intradermal vaccine is an inactivated influenza virus vaccine given to people 18 through 64 years of age for active immunization against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the vaccine.

Safety Information

Redness, firmness, swelling, and itching at the injection site occur more frequently with Fluzone Intradermal vaccine than with Fluzone vaccine.  Other common side effects to Fluzone Intradermal vaccine include pain at the injection site; headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Side effects other than those listed above may occur. Fluzone Intradermal vaccine should not be administered to anyone with a severe allergic reaction to any vaccine component, including eggs, egg products, or to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine. Tell the doctor if you have ever experienced Guillain-Barre syndrome (severe muscle weakness) after a previous dose of influenza vaccine. If you notice any other problems or symptoms following vaccination, please contact your health care professional immediately. Vaccination with Fluzone Intradermal vaccine may not protect all individuals.

For more information about Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, talk to your health care professional and see complete Patient Information.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or http://www.sanofipasteur.us/.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the absence of guarantee that the product candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, the impact of cost containment policies and subsequent changes thereto, the average number of shares outstanding as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2012. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

[i] CDC. Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines:  recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011. MMWR. 2011;60(30):1128-1132. Accessed June 19, 2013. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6033a3.htm.

[ii] CDC. Estimates of deaths associated with seasonal influenza – United States, 1976-2007. MMWR. 2010;59(33):1057-1062. Accessed June 19, 2013.  Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5933a1.htm

[iii] CDC. Seasonal Influenza (Flu). 2013. Accessed August 6, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm

[iv] Smith K, Christakis N. Social networks and health. Annu Rev Sociol. 2008;34:405–429.

[v] Centola D. Social media and the science of health behavior. Circulation. 2013;127:2135-2144.

[vi] B. Nyhan et al. The Role of Social Networks in Influenza Vaccine Attitudes and Intentions Among College Students in the Southeastern United States. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2012; 51(2012): 302-304.

[vii] Centola D. The spread of behavior in an online social network experiment. Science. 2010;329:1194–1197.

[viii] CDC. 2012-2013 Flu season drawing to a close. 2013 Accessed June 19, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/2012-2013-flu-season-wrapup.htm.

SOURCE Sanofi Pasteur