Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee March 12, 2026 Meeting Announcement - 03/12/2026
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) held an open session on March 12, 2026, to discuss and recommend the influenza virus strain composition for vaccines to be used in the United States during the 2026-2027 season.
The announcement affects manufacturers of influenza vaccines intended for the U.S. market, as well as personnel in regulatory affairs, manufacturing, and quality assurance who manage annual strain updates.
The committee's recommendations are critical for manufacturers to finalize vaccine formulations and begin production for the upcoming season. This meeting establishes the scientific basis for the seasonal composition, which necessitates timely regulatory submissions and potential manufacturing shifts to align with the selected viral strains. Failure to align with these recommendations would likely prevent the distribution of influenza vaccines for the 2026-2027 period.
Regulatory and manufacturing leads should monitor the meeting outcomes for finalized strain designations to initiate update-specific CMC filings and production planning for the 2026-2027 season. Logistics teams should evaluate the impact of the recommendations on existing supply chain timelines.
On March 12, 2026, the Committee will meet in open session to discuss and make recommendations on the strain composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in United States during the 2026-2027 influenza season.
Open in openFDA / FDA.gov