France suspends Chikungunya vaccine for seniors

FRANCE – France’s national public health agency, the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), has temporarily suspended the administration of Valneva’s chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ, for individuals aged 65 and older.

This decision follows reports of serious adverse events, including one death, among elderly recipients with underlying health conditions during a vaccination campaign in La Réunion, a French overseas territory experiencing a significant chikungunya outbreak. ​

The HAS had initially recommended prioritizing vaccination for seniors and individuals with comorbidities, given their heightened risk for severe chikungunya complications.

However, after three serious adverse events resulting in hospitalization, including one fatality, were reported, the agency paused vaccinations for the elderly demographic.

Investigations are ongoing to determine any causal links between the vaccine and the reported incidents. ​

Valneva, the French biotech company behind IXCHIQ, responded promptly to the outbreak by supplying 40,000 vaccine doses to La Réunion, with provisions for additional shipments.

The company emphasized that the reported adverse events are under investigation and that no definitive causal relationship has been established.

Vaccinations continue for individuals aged 18 to 64 without underlying health conditions. ​

IXCHIQ® is the world’s first licensed vaccine against chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus causing fever, joint pain, and other debilitating symptoms.

The vaccine received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2023 and was subsequently authorized in Europe and Canada in June 2024.

Clinical studies have demonstrated that a single dose of IXCHIQ provides protection for at least three years, with comparable antibody responses observed in both younger and older adults.