- GSK supports seasonal flu immunization in Canada with domestic supply of Fluviral vaccine in advance of flu season
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario – GSK Canada (GlaxoSmithKline Inc.) announced it has started shipping doses of its trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine, Fluviral, to Canadian provinces in preparation for the 2025-26 flu season.
Fluviral is a trivalent vaccine for use in adults and children greater than 6 months of age to protect against influenza virus types A and B contained in the vaccine.
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is estimated to cause over 12,000 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths each year in Canada, ranking it among the 10 leading causes of death in the country. According to Health Canada, annual vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the risk of flu and its potentially serious outcomes. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends yearly vaccination for anyone aged six months or older who does not have contraindications, ideally before flu season starts.
Canada’s supply of Fluviral is being produced at our vaccines manufacturing facility in Ste-Foy, Quebec, which has been providing influenza vaccine for Canadians since 1997. The site currently produces the majority share of Canada’s seasonal influenza vaccine supply and, in the event of an influenza pandemic, is the primary supplier of the country’s pandemic flu vaccine.
Every year, different strains of flu circulate during the season. The World Health Organization (WHO) studies worldwide trends and recommends the strains to be included in the annual flu vaccine.
For egg-based influenza vaccines for the 2025-26 flu season in the Northern Hemisphere, the WHO has recommended including an A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus, an A/Croatia/10136RV/2023 (H3N2)-like virus and a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus. The supply of Fluviral for the 2025-26 season complies with these recommendations.