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More Than 18 Million Doses of Influenza Vaccine Already Released for the 2025/2026 Flu Season

The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) has already released 18.5 million doses of influenza vaccine for the 2025/2026 season as of mid-October 2025. This means that doctors' offices and pharmacies in Germany have sufficient vaccine available in time to meet the currently expected demand for influenza vaccinations. Any additional incoming applications for batch release will be processed promptly as they are received.

Vaccine vials Source: Ira Lichi/Shutterstock.com

Eight Trivalent Seasonal Influenza Vaccines for Different Age Groups

The influenza vaccines for the 2025/2026 season are composed of the antigens of influenza virus variants circulating worldwide, in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) at the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

The following influenza vaccines will be marketed in Germany in the 2025/2026 season:

  • Efluelda 2025/2026 (trivalent high-dose split vaccine with 60 instead of 15 micrograms HA/strain, adults 60 years and older)
  • Fluad 2025/2026 (trivalent subunit influenza vaccine with adjuvant, adults 50 years and older)
  • Flucelvax 2025/2026 (trivalent subunit influenza vaccine from cell culture, ages six months and older)
  • Fluenz 2025/2026 (trivalent nasal influenza vaccine, live attenuated, from two years up to and including 17 years)
  • Influsplit 2025/2026 (trivalent split influenza vaccine, ages six months and older)
  • Influvac 2025/2026 (trivalent subunit influenza vaccine, ages six months and older)
  • Vaxigrip 2025/2026 (trivalent split influenza vaccine, ages six months and older)
  • Xanaflu 2025/2026 (trivalent subunit influenza vaccine, ages six months and older)

For most of these influenza vaccines, the marketing authorisation holders have also applied for the strain update for the quadrivalent variant of each vaccine. If the strain update has been approved, these vaccines will also appear in the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut's list of influenza vaccines. However, the quadrivalent variants will not be marketed in Germany in the 2025/2026 season.

Importance of the Flu Vaccine

The Standing Commission on Vaccination (Ständige Impfkommission, STIKO) recommends an annual flu vaccination, especially for high-risk groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, and people subject to occupational exposure. For people aged 60 and over, the STIKO explicitly recommends high-dose vaccines and vaccines with an adjuvant.

Since influenza viruses are constantly changing, regular vaccination is necessary to ensure optimal protection against the circulating strains. Vaccinations should be administered annually in autumn so that protection is established at the beginning of the flu season.

Quality and Safety Through Official Testing

In Germany, all influenza vaccines are subject to official batch testing. This testing is carried out by Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCLs), such as the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut. Randomly selected doses (test samples) of each production batch are tested. The Institute also checks the manufacturing documents and the results of the manufacturer's quality control examinations. Batch release will only be granted if all the criteria set out in the marketing authorisation have been met. If another European OMCL takes over the examination, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut examines the certificate and issues the batch release for Germany.

Updated: 14.10.2025