FDA Cancels Key Meeting on Next Season’s Flu Vaccine Strains

The sudden cancellation leaves vaccine manufacturers uncertain about guidance for the upcoming flu season.

The FDA unexpectedly canceled its annual March meeting to decide on flu vaccine strains for the 2025-2026 season, with no explanation provided.
The decision disrupts the usual six-month production timeline needed to prepare vaccines for the fall flu season.
Manufacturers typically rely on FDA guidance, which is informed by recommendations from the World Health Organization, to select flu strains for vaccines.
The cancellation follows a severe flu season in the U.S., with 19,000 adult deaths and 86 pediatric deaths reported so far.
Concerns grow over potential delays in vaccine availability and effectiveness, as well as broader implications for U.S. vaccine policy under current leadership.