Delivery of Sanofi flu vaccines to be delayed

Delivery of Sanofi Pasteur flu vaccines will be delayed by three to four weeks this fall, according to the manufacturer.

The delay impacts the company’s three flu vaccines, including Fluzone Quadrivalent, which is approved for children and adults.

“Sanofi Pasteur fully expects to manufacture and deliver every dose reserved by our customers, beginning with partial shipments to all customers in late-August or September, with all shipments completed by the end of November,” the company wrote in a letter to customers.

Sanofi attributed the timing to the World Health Organization and U.S. Food and Drug Administration delaying selection of vaccine virus strains to better match circulating strains of H3N2 viruses.

The delay comes on the heels of AstraZeneca’s announcement that its supply of FluMist Quadrivalent, a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), is expected to be limited next season due to manufacturing constraints.

The Academy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated and with either LAIV or inactivated influenza vaccine.

Pediatricians with questions on the shipping delay can contact their Sanofi Pasteur representative or call 1-800-VACCINE.