The European Commission approved the commitments presented by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi, aiming to cease a campaign that had been initiated to discredit a flu vaccine intended for vulnerable people, developed by a competing laboratory.
The focus of the defamation allegations promoted by Sanofi was concentrated in Germany and France, referring to the Fluad vaccine. This vaccine competes directly with Efluelda, which was created by a French laboratory.
According to information from the executive body, Sanofi addressed initial concerns regarding competition. The company committed to implementing proactive communication actions with the goal of correcting and neutralizing any negative impacts resulting from potentially misleading messages disseminated about Fluad. Furthermore, it promised to refrain from any communication that presents Fluad unfavorably or raises doubts about its performance.
Specifically, the French company had suggested, through a campaign targeting healthcare professionals, that the scientific support for Fluad was less robust than that of Efluelda, which contradicted existing scientific data.
Both vaccines, Efluelda produced by Sanofi, and Fluad manufactured by CSL Seqirus, are specifically aimed at preventing the flu in individuals over 60 years of age.