The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut is aware of the reports made recently of regional shortages of seasonal influenza vaccines. The Institute is already in close contact with vaccine manufacturers regarding notices of sold out vaccines in order to analyse the situation and, if necessary, to be able to take possible measures to ensure the supply for the rest of the 2025/26 season. According to the latest updates, there are currently no confirmed indications of a widespread shortage. The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut will keep the public informed about new information and developments.
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The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut takes the recently received reports about regional shortages of seasonal vaccines seriously and is in close contact with the manufacturers of the vaccines to analyse the situation and to ensure the supply for the current flu season.
This season's pre-order numbers were slightly lower in comparison to last season and the production volumes planned by vaccine manufacturers for the German market were also correspondingly lower. As a result, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut has already received an extraordinary number of sold out notices from manufacturers to date.
However, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut currently has no confirmed indications of a widespread shortage. Current supply issues in individual pharmacies do not necessarily mean a lack of availability of seasonal flu vaccines in Germany per se. However, these issues may be related to the total amount of seasonal flu vaccine doses produced for 2025/2026. A sold-out notice means that the manufacturer has placed on the market all quantities of vaccines produced on the basis of the pre-orders, including the calculated reserve.
The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut will keep the public informed about the current situation and any possible measures to be taken.
The exact course of a flu season cannot be predicted in advance, but there are legal regulations in place to ensure an adequate supply of seasonal flu vaccines:
A needs assessment for influenza vaccines has been carried out at the beginning of each year since 2020 in accordance with section 132e subsection 2 of the Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB) V. The text states:
"The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians reports on the demand for seasonal influenza vaccines on the basis of orders planned by general physicians, and this report is made to the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut by 15 January of each calendar year; the leading organisation of pharmacists, formed for the protection of economic interests, reports on the demand for seasonal influenza vaccines that are intended for use by pharmacies on their planned orders; this report is also made to the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut by 15 January of each calendar year."
The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut analyses the reported need, taking into account an additional reserve of ten percent, and communicates the result of its analysis to the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung, KBV), the leading organisation of pharmacists formed for the protection of economic interests, and to the holders of marketing authorisations for seasonal influenza vaccines.
Based on this data, the manufacturers calculate the quantities they will produce for the German market and will submit to the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut for batch release. This procedure is intended to ensure an adequate supply of seasonal influenza vaccines in Germany. Manufacturers usually produce a safety reserve in addition to pre-orders.
Production of the seasonal flu vaccines takes at least four to six months. They are produced worldwide in self-contained production campaigns for each season. Post-production is therefore not possible.
The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut has released around 18.8 million seasonal flu vaccine doses for the whole of Germany so far this year.
Updated: 18.12.2025
