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Several pharmaceutical manufacturers have announced the start of their outgoing shipments of influenza vaccines to healthcare providers and pharmacies in preparation for the 2025-2026 flu season, including GSK, CSL Seqirus, and Sanofi, according to a post by CIDRAP. Historically, every spring, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee meets to recommend which flu strains to include in the seasonal vaccine—recommendations that allow manufacturers to begin production. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) specialized Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) also meets to arrive at usage recommendations and coverage for the vaccine. This year has been like no other, however. FDA canceled its committee meeting, and the CDC’s original ACIP meeting was postponed. Ultimately, federal agencies delivered the final recommendations so the vaccine supply chain could move forward in time.
The final outlook: As the 2024-2025 flu season winds down, data shows it was particularly severe, recording 260 pediatric flu deaths—the highest number of pediatric flu deaths in any nonpandemic year since the condition became reportable 20 years ago. More than 40% of the pediatric patients had no underlying health conditions. For the season ahead, the good news is that FluMist is now approved for self- or caregiver-administration in individuals 2 through 49 years of age and was recommended by the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee in April. The added preventive option with an intranasal experience might encourage a greater uptake in prevention for 2025-2026.
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