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Influenza vaccines can change from year to year as new strains of influenza virus appear. This is one reason vaccination against influenza is given every year.
Following a review of the strains of influenza that were circulating in the Southern Hemisphere, the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) recommended that the TGA should adopt the September World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for the strains to be Covered by the 2015 seasonal influenza vaccines. Details of the strains were announced on the TGA website on 14 October 2014.
2015 is the first year that two categories of influenza vaccines will be available. These are:
vaccines that protect against three strains of the virus (known as trivalent influenza vaccines)
and
vaccines that protect against four strains of the virus (known as quadrivalent influenza vaccines).
Trivalent vaccines include two influenza A strains and one B strain. For 2015, one of the A strains is the H1N1 strain that has been in the seasonal vaccine since 2010. The other two strains have changed compared with the 2014 vaccines used in Australia and the 2014/15 vaccines used in the recent Northern Hemisphere winter. The quadrivalent vaccines contain the same strains as the trivalent vaccines with the addition of a second influenza B strain. For more information see Influenza vaccine: the annual Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine production and the regulatory approval timeline.
For the 2015 influenza season, the TGA has registered nine vaccines which will be available for use in the following age groups:
Sponsor
Tradename
Age group
Trivalent vaccines
BGP Products#
Influvac*
6 months and over
GlaxoSmithKline
Fluarix*
6 months and over
Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics
Agrippal*
6 months and over
Sanofi-Pasteur
Vaxigrip Junior
6 to 35 months
Vaxigrip*
6 months and over
bioCSL
Fluvax**
5 years and over**
Quadrivalent vaccines
GlaxoSmithKline
Fluarix Tetra
3 years and over
Sanofi-Pasteur
FluQuadri Junior
6-35 months
FluQuadri
3 years and over
# Previously the pharmaceutical division of Abbott Australasia.
* Guidance for the dose in children aged 6-35 months is available in the Product Information.
** Febrile events have been observed in children aged 5 to under 9 years after immunisation with bioCSL Fluvax. Therefore, in this age group, a decision to vaccinate with the 2015 bioCSL Fluvax vaccine should be based on careful consideration of potential benefits and risks in the individual.
In conjunction with the Office of Health Protection and state and territory health authorities, the TGA will be closely monitoring adverse event reports during the 2015 influenza vaccination program.
Reporting of adverse events following influenza vaccine
Health professionals and consumers are encouraged to report all adverse events associated with influenza vaccination in patients of any age to the TGA or through the current arrangements in their State or Territory.
All reports contribute to the TGA's ongoing monitoring of the safety of influenza vaccines.
The TGA cannot give advice about an individual's medical condition. You are strongly encouraged to talk with a health professional if you are concerned about a possible adverse event associated with a vaccine or medicine.