Sanofi avoids EU fine after settling antitrust probe over disparaging rival vaccine

On October 14, 2026, the European Commission accepted legally binding commitments from Sanofi to resolve an antitrust investigation into alleged disparagement of CSL Seqirus' rival flu vaccine, Fluad. By offering swift remedies, Sanofi avoided potential EU antitrust fines. Under the agreement, Sanofi is barred until March 2030 from making negative claims about Fluad or contradicting vaccination guidelines in France and Germany, and must post corrective notices acknowledging vaccine equivalence.

European Commission stance on Sanofi

• ▪European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera defended avoiding European Union antitrust fines for Sanofi, stating its immediate, cooperative response enabled rapid remedies and demonstrated recognition of regulatory enforcement power.
• ▪European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera stated that her team will remain vigilant regarding Sanofi's compliance with its antitrust commitments.

Investigation into alleged disparagement campaign

• ▪European Union antitrust regulators alleged that Sanofi conducted a misleading communication campaign targeting healthcare professionals in Germany and France that portrayed CSL Seqirus' Fluad vaccine as inferior to Sanofi's Efluelda vaccine.
• ▪European Union regulators noted that CSL Seqirus' Fluad is the only rival flu vaccine recommended alongside Sanofi's Efluelda for vulnerable patients at risk, and Sanofi holds a dominant market position in Germany and France.
• ▪On October 14, 2026, the European Commission accepted legally binding commitments from Sanofi to settle an antitrust investigation into the marketing of Sanofi's flu vaccine.
• ▪The European Commission opened an antitrust investigation in June 2026 to assess whether Sanofi's alleged disparagement campaign against CSL Seqirus' Fluad vaccine violated European Union competition rules.

Binding commitments and corrective measures

• ▪Under legally binding commitments effective until March 2030, Sanofi is prohibited in Germany and France from criticizing national vaccination recommendations, highlighting CSL Seqirus' Fluad vaccine negatively, or unduly suggesting Sanofi's Efluelda vaccine is safer or more effective.
• ▪For two years, Sanofi's French and German websites must explicitly state that applicable national vaccination recommendations treat CSL Seqirus' Fluad and Sanofi's Efluelda as equivalent in protecting elderly people against flu.
• ▪Sanofi must send corrective statements acknowledging the equivalence of Fluad and Efluelda to healthcare professionals and key opinion leaders in Germany who previously received the allegedly disparaging materials.
• ▪Following Sanofi's proposed pledges, the European Commission assessed the impact of the commitments during July and August 2026 before accepting them.