Injectable flu vaccines run short in Romanian pharmacies, with new doses due by end of October

Pharmacy shelves run bare

Injectable flu vaccines are largely out of stock in Romanian pharmacies after most of the doses delivered in September were used up. HotNews visited more than 15 pharmacies in Bucharest across the major chains, and each one said it had no injectable flu vaccine left, whether for children, adults or people over 60. In some pharmacies the available doses ran out within two days. Pharmacists told customers that new stock would not reach their shelves before 20 October or until the end of the month. Online stock listings showed the same picture, and one pharmacist said the store receives a fixed allocation every year.

What the Ministry of Health says

The Ministry of Health, citing the national medicines agency ANMDMR, says four flu vaccines are authorised for the 2026-2027 season and that the first quantities of all of them reached the country in the second half of September. According to the ministry, the intranasal Fluenz for children and adolescents and Efluelda for people over 60 are in sufficient stock in pharmacies and with distributors. The two injectable products, Vaxigrip and Influvac, are different, because most of the September deliveries have already been consumed. The ministry says limited stocks remain in some pharmacies and puts them at about 45,000 doses of both products, based on reports from 15 October.

“At present, there are still limited stocks in some pharmacies across the country, totalling approximately 45,000 doses of both products.”

The ministry also says Romania's allocation for this season is higher than last year's, which it presents as a guarantee that everyone who wants a vaccine can get one. Pharmacies order directly from suppliers through the usual distribution channel for medicines. The gap between the ministry's account and what pharmacies report on their shelves remains the central point of dispute in the coverage.

Second delivery tranche

The second tranche is due to begin in the week of 19 October, when more than 350,000 doses of one injectable vaccine are to be distributed nationwide. A further 250,000 doses of the other injectable product are to follow and become available by the end of October. Mediafax and Libertatea report that more than 600,000 additional doses are due in Romania by the end of October.

Remaining in some pharmacies (reports of 15 October)45,000

Second tranche, first product (by end of October)350,000

Second tranche, second product (by end of October)250,000

Remaining in some pharmacies (reports of 15 October)

45000 doses

Second tranche, first product (by end of October)

350000 doses

Second tranche, second product (by end of October)

250000 doses

Data from the article text

First flu death of the season

Authorities announced the first confirmed flu death of this season, a 65-year-old man from Cluj county. He had other health problems and had not been vaccinated against flu, and tests identified an influenza A infection. The National Institute of Public Health reported a rise in respiratory infections over the last week, with more than 82,000 recorded, of which 201 were clinical flu cases. Reporters noted that it is too early to say whether this season will be more severe, while health authorities continue to recommend vaccination as the most effective protection against serious flu. Vaccination uptake stood at 256,000 people as of 11 October, according to centralised reports. The ministry says pharmacies still have the intranasal vaccine for children and the vaccine for people over 60 in stock.