Editorial: Inactivated influenza vaccines.

In contrast to the uniform expression of confidence in the efficacy of, for example, live measles or poliomyelitis vaccines, opinions about the efficacy of the inactivated influenza vaccines vary greatly. Rarely is anyone neutral. Whatever the opinion, it can usually be supported by the proper choice of reports in the medical and lay press. Vaccine efficacy has not been clearly and consistently demonstrated. Reasonably controlled field trials have sometimes shown vaccine efficacy to be inadequate. Major variations in the surface antigens of "new" epidemic strains have on occasion rendered current vaccines impotent. Also contributing to the image of vaccine inconsistency . . .