EU investigates Sanofi over alleged smear campaign against rival flu vaccine Fluad

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Sanofi for allegedly running a misleading communication campaign that disparaged CSL Seqirus's Fluad flu vaccine while promoting its own Efluelda vaccine in Germany and France.

Regulators are concerned that Sanofi portrayed Fluad as inferior to Efluelda despite national and European recommendations supporting the CSL vaccine for vulnerable patients, and that this conduct may amount to anticompetitive disparagement and abuse of a dominant market position.

The probe follows unannounced raids on Sanofi offices in September 2025, and the company has stated it is confident it complied with competition law and is cooperating fully with the European Commission.

Sources:

EU Commission opens antitrust probe into Sanofi's flu vaccine campaign

Sanofi invited to settle EU antitrust probe into flu vaccine (update*)

Commission opens disparagement investigation into Sanofi

European antitrust regulators probe Sanofi for allegedly disparaging a rival flu vaccine

Brussels, Belgium, June 26, 2026 (AFP) - EU hits France's Sanofi ...

Sanofi Suspected by EU of Disparaging a Flu Vaccine Rival

EU Launches Antitrust Probe Into Sanofi Over Allegedly Misleading ...

Sanofi Probed by EU Over Flu Vaccine Marketing - Morningstar

Sanofi says under investigation by European Commission over vaccines

Sanofi Raided by EU in ‘Disparagement' Antitrust Case

Sanofi Probed by EU Over Flu Vaccine Marketing

EU opens antitrust probe over Sanofi flu vaccine marketing.

Sanofi faces EU antitrust probe into vaccine business - pharmaphorum