A friend of mine has type 1 diabetes, diagnosed about a year ago. He has gotten mixed advice on whether or not he should get a flu shot (he did not get the shot last year, nor did he get the flu).

I know that it is widely recommended that people with diabetes do get flu shots. Is there any information available out there on why one would not get a flu shot, and is there a school of thought out there that recommends not getting the shot? Also, should I and other people around him get a shot, so that we don’t put him at extra risk?

The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes get a flu shot every year in the fall, because they may be at increased risk of getting the flu, and at increased risk of complications from it (“being sicker”) if they do come down with influenza. ADA also recommends getting a pneumonia shot — pneumococcal vaccine — once. I do not know of any good evidence recommending against getting a flu shot. The ADA also recommends that family members consider getting flu shots. The official ADA recommendations can be found on their web site at Immunization and the Prevention of Influenza and Pneumococcal Disease in People With Diabetes.

ML