WHO wants improved universal vaccines to win global influenza battle

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Source: Pharmaceutical Technology

Original: https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/who-wants-improved-universal-vacc...

Published: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:41:56 +0000

The World Health Organization (WHO) wants improved universal flu vaccines to win the global fight against it. A WHO analysis estimates that the use of new generation vaccines up to 2050 would save 6.2 million lives. For the 2025/2026 season, Slovakia is switching to trivalent vaccines that protect against two strains of the influenza A virus (H1N1 and H3N2) and one strain of the influenza B virus (B/Victoria). These vaccines replace the previous tetravalent formulations. WHO updates recommendations for vaccine composition according to circulating viruses. From October 2026, certified pharmacists will vaccinate adults directly in pharmacies.[1][2][3]