Key Highlights
- GSK Canada has begun shipping doses of its trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine, Fluviral, to provinces ahead of the 2025–26 flu season.
- Fluviral is approved for adults and children over six months of age, protecting against influenza virus types A and B included in the vaccine.
- Influenza is a leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths in Canada, with over 12,000 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths annually.
- Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada recommend yearly vaccination for everyone aged six months and older, ideally before flu season begins.
- GSK’s Ste-Foy, Quebec manufacturing facility, operational since 1997, produces the majority of Canada’s influenza vaccine supply and serves as the primary pandemic flu vaccine supplier.
- For 2025–26, Fluviral complies with WHO’s recommended strains: A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like, A/Croatia/10136RV/2023 (H3N2)-like, and B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like viruses.
Public Health Impact
Annual flu vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce flu-related risks. Vulnerable populations — including older adults, young children, Indigenous Peoples, those in congregate care, and people with chronic illnesses — benefit most from proactive vaccination campaigns.
About GSK
GSK (LSE/NYSE: GSK) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on vaccines, specialty medicines, and infectious disease prevention. In Canada, GSK has a strong local manufacturing presence, supplying essential vaccines to protect public health while advancing innovation worldwide.
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