The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved an alternative to the flu shot millions of people take each fall.

FluMist™ is a nasal spray developed by a University of Michigan professor that's been approved for use by healthy people ages 5-49.

The spray was initially created to give toddlers a needle-free vaccine, but researchers found it seems to increase the risk of asthma attacks in children under age 5. The FDA also concluded that there's too little evidence that FluMist protects people age 50 and over from the flu, as that's when a human's immune system begins to wane.

FluMist is produced by MedImmune Vaccines Inc. Like a flu shot, it will be available through doctor's offices and some pharmacies beginning this month. Check with your doctor to see if the spray is right for you.