The Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) met at TGA, Canberra, on 9 October 2014, to recommend influenza viruses to be used in the composition of the influenza vaccines for 2015. During this meeting, the expert committee reviewed and evaluated data related to epidemiology, antigenic and genetic characteristics of recent influenza isolates circulating in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, serological responses to 2013-2014 vaccines, and the availability of candidate vaccines viruses and reagents. The committee recommended that the TGA should adopt the September WHO recommendations; the trivalent influenza vaccine components for the Australian 2015 influenza season should contain the following:

• A (H1N1): an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) - like virus, 15 µg HA per dose
• A (H3N2): an A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2) - like virus, 15 µg HA per dose
• B: a B/Phuket/3073/2013 - like virus, 15 µg HA per dose

Quadrivalent vaccines should contain viruses listed above, plus the additional B virus:

• B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus, 15 µg HA per dose.

The TGA has accepted the recommendations of the AIVC.

The TGA considers the following viruses or reassortants are suitable vaccine strains:

• those as listed on the WHO Influenza vaccine web pages: Influenza vaccine viruses and reagents for H1N1, H3N2 and B viruses.

If other candidate vaccine viruses or reagents become available their suitability for use should be discussed with the TGA by emailing influenza.reagents@tga.gov.au.