The National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) annual Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccines for 2024-2025 continues to recommend Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent among the preferential influenza vaccines, over standard dose influenza vaccines, to protect adults 65 years of age and older against influenza.
According to NACI, Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent has the most substantial body of supporting evidence among preferentially recommended vaccines for adults 65 years of age and older.
Influenza can cause mild to severe illness, including approximately 12,000 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths annually in Canada. Some populations, especially young children and adults 65 years of age and older, are at a higher risk for serious influenza complications. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza and its complications.
Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine is specifically designed to provide protection for adults 65 years of age and older with 4 times the active component dosage of a standard vaccine. To date, Fluzone High-Dose is available in more than 20 countries including the US, Canada, and Germany and continues to be publicly funded in Canada by numerous provinces and territories.
Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine will transition to a trivalent formulation for the 2025-2026 influenza season. The timing of this transition is also in line with the recommendation of European health authorities. This is following the direction of the World Health Organization to exclude the B/Yamagata lineage from influenza vaccine formulations due to the absence of confirmed detection of naturally occurring B/Yamagata lineage viruses since March 2020.
The benefits of annual influenza vaccination remain unchanged, whether trivalent or quadrivalent. There are no safety issues associated with the continued use of quadrivalent flu vaccines for all populations globally.
