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Friday, 24 February 2023

News Release

Recommendations announced for
influenza vaccine composition for the 2023-2024 northern hemisphere influenza season

and
Zoonotic/Avian Influenza

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the recommendations for the viral composition of influenza vaccines for the 2023-2024 influenza season in the northern hemisphere. The announcement was made at an information session at the end of a 4-day meeting on the Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines, a meeting that is held twice annually.

The WHO organizes these consultations with an advisory group of experts gathered from WHO Collaboration Centres and WHO Essential Regulatory Laboratories to analyse influenza virus surveillance data generated by the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. The recommendations issued are used by the national vaccine regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies to develop, produce, and license influenza vaccines for the following influenza season.

The periodic update of viruses contained in influenza vaccines is necessary for the vaccines to be effective due to the constant evolving nature of influenza viruses, including those circulating and infecting humans.

The WHO recommends that quadrivalent vaccines for use in the 2023-2024 northern hemisphere influenza season contain the following:

Egg-based vaccines

Cell culture- or recombinant-based vaccines

The WHO recommends that trivalent vaccines for use in the 2023-2024 influenza season in the northern hemisphere contain the following:

Egg-based vaccines

Cell culture- or recombinant-based vaccines

./.

POST VPC AUDIO FILE

Please find below link to the audio files from the Virtual Press Conference where the recommendations were discussed earlier today.

Press conference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw2CImxYacE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itEdjJSO3eU

Speakers were:

You will find the recordings of the WHO Information Meeting on the Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines for Use in the 2023-2024 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season held earlier today in Geneva here:

Information meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9i6GxRl744

OPENING REMARKS Press Briefing

Please find below the opening remarks by Dr Sylvie BRIAND on the reports of human H5N1 infections in Cambodia, as well as on the vaccine composition.

Dr Sylvie Briand, Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO

Good morning good afternoon and good evening

Before we get to the influenza vaccine composition, I would like to briefly address the reports of human H5N1 infections in Cambodia.

Cambodian authorities have informed us of 2 confirmed cases of avian influenza H5N1, both members of the same family. One of the cases – an 11 year old girl - unfortunately passed away.

We are in close communication with the Cambodian authorities to understand more about the outbreak. Field investigations are ongoing.

The global H5N1 situation is worrying given the wide spread of the virus in birds around the world, and the increasing reports of cases in mammals, including humans.

H5N1 influenza is a severe respiratory disease, with a range of symptoms observed, from mild to fatal. The mortality rate among cases reported with H5N1 infection over the years is over 50%.

WHO takes the risk from this virus seriously and urges heightened vigilance from all countries.

===

Now on to vaccine composition.

This week WHO held an important meeting in Geneva the influenza vaccine composition meeting.

Influenza viruses are constantly evolving and there is a risk that they escape the immunity conferred by the vaccine. Therefore, we need to update the vaccine twice a year to make sure that we have the best possible vaccine to protect the populations around the world.

During this meeting top-notch experts from WHO Collaborating Centres, National Influenza Centres, regulatory laboratories and also laboratories from the animal sector reviewed the circulating influenza viruses , assessed the changes compared to the last influenza season and advised about the vaccine composition. They are looking at viruses circulating in human populations but also at viruses circulating in animals and I would like to thank the colleagues from the FAO and WOAH, OFFLU for their critical contribution to this vaccine update.

This morning we had an information session with vaccine manufacturers to share the recommendations of the experts so that they can immediately start the production of the vaccine for the northern hemisphere season.

The vaccine composition meeting makes recommendation on the vaccine virus for seasonal influenza epidemics but also for the candidate vaccines virus for zoonotic influenza.

GISRS, the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, is a global network of laboratories and partners working year-round to monitor the influenza situation and the related viruses. Based on this global collaboration of scientists and institutions around the world we are able to assess the risk of emergence of novel influenza viruses and prevent epidemics or pandemics by implementing early containment measures in case zoonotic viruses become fit of human-to-human transmission.

Based on the recent reporting, we are reviewing the risk assessment.

./.

Media contact:
mediainquiries@who.int

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