24th January 2019

NHS England update on recommended flu vaccines for 2019/20

Those of you #GPPharmacists who are carrying out flu vaccination clinics or administering flu vaccinations, here is an important update on the recommended flu vaccines for 2019/20:

• The standard egg cultured quadrivalent inactivated vaccine (QIVe) will continue to be recommended for 18 to 64-year olds in clinical at-risk groups and other eligible groups, including frontline health and social care workers; and
• The adjuvanted trivalent inactivated vaccine (aTIV) will continue to be recommended for individuals aged 65 years and over.

Additionally, the cell grown quadrivalent vaccine (QIVc), Flucelvax® Tetra, is now licensed for use and contractors can consider ordering this for 2019/20 Flu Vaccination Service (please note, although QIVc is now licensed, this will not be added to the list of flu vaccinations which can be used for the 2018/19 service). The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation considers the QIVc equally suitable to QIVe and aTIV in their relative age groups.

NHS England has determined that the high-dose trivalent vaccine (TIV-HD), which has also been granted licensed status, has a significantly higher list price and will therefore not be commissioned by NHS England or reimbursed for use in the Flu Vaccination Service 2019/20. Contractors are therefore advised not to purchase or administer this product for the Advanced Flu Vaccination Service.

Read the full guidance by PSNC here:

https://psnc.org.uk/our-news/nhs-england-update-on-recommended-flu-vaccines-for-2019-20/