France pauses chikungunya vaccine over potential safety issue

The Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), France’s national public health agency, has paused the administration of the Valneva vaccine against chikungunya in people over 65 due to a potential safety issue. There have been several reports of serious adverse effects (SAEs) in elderly people with underlying medical conditions during the current vaccination campaign in the overseas territories of La Réunion and Mayotte. Valneva supplied its vaccine (Ixchiq) to the French government to respond to an outbreak of chikungunya on the two islands. The vaccine was approved in the United States in 2023 and in Europe in 2024. In a statement, Valneva confirmed the suspension of vaccinations of individuals over 65 and with comorbidities after “three cases of SAEs resulting in hospitalisation” and one possible death in La Réunion. The cases were reported through the pharmacovigilance system set up by the French health authorities, and links with the vaccine have not been definitively established. However, the HAS decided to pause the vaccine for individuals over 65 as a precautionary measure. Vaccinations are continuing for people aged 18 to 64. Valneva’s chief medical officer, Juan Carlos Jaramillo, approved the decision and encouraged providers “to assess the benefit/risk of vaccination based on the individual’s medical history.” Meanwhile, the company is working on a potential update of the product.
Chikungunya is an emerging global health threat, with five million cases reported in recent years in tropical and subtropical regions. Valneva was the first company to produce a vaccine for the disease. However, a rival shot from Bavarian Nordic (Vimkunya) has recently been approved in Europe and the United States.