Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion, Inactivated) High-Dose, suspension for injection in pre-filled syringe
Quadrivalent influenza vaccine (split virion, inactivated), 60 micrograms HA/strain
▼This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get. See the end of Section 4 for how to report side effects.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
- This vaccine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See Section 4.
1. What Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion, Inactivated) High-Dose is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion, Inactivated) High-Dose
3. How to use Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion, Inactivated) High-Dose
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion, Inactivated) High-Dose
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion, Inactivated) High-Dose (called QIV High-Dose in this leaflet) is a vaccine. This vaccine helps to protect persons of 60 years of age and older against influenza (flu). The use of QIV High-Dose should be based on official recommendations on vaccination against influenza.
When a person is given QIV High-Dose, the immune system (the body’s natural defence system) will produce its own protection (antibodies) against the disease. None of the ingredients in the vaccine can cause flu.
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, which can result in mild to severe illness, and could result in serious complications such as pneumonia, which can lead to hospitalization or even death. Flu is a disease that can spread rapidly and is caused by different types of strains that can change every year. Due to this potential change in circulating strains on a yearly basis, as well as the duration of protection intended by the vaccine, vaccination is recommended every year. The greatest risk of catching flu is during the cold months between October and March. If you were not vaccinated in the autumn, it is still sensible to be vaccinated up until the spring since you run the risk of catching flu until then. Your doctor will be able to recommend the best time to be vaccinated.
QIV High-Dose is intended to protect you against the four strains of virus contained in the vaccine about 2 to 3 weeks after the injection. In addition, if you are exposed to flu immediately before or after your vaccination, you could still develop the illness as the incubation period for flu is a few days.
The vaccine will not protect you against the common cold, even though some of the symptoms are similar to flu.
To make sure that QIV High-Dose is suitable for you, it is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of the points below apply to you. If there is anything you do not understand, ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain.
- if you are allergic to:
- the active substances, or
- any of the other ingredients of this vaccine (listed in Section 6), or
- any component that may be present in very small amounts such as eggs (ovalbumin, chicken proteins) and formaldehyde.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using QIV High-Dose.
You should tell your doctor before vaccination if you have:
- a poor immune response (immunodeficiency or taking medicines affecting the immune system),
- bleeding problem or bruising easily,
- experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) (severe muscle weakness) after getting a flu vaccine.
- if you have an illness with a high or moderate temperature or an acute illness, the vaccination should be postponed until after you have recovered.
Your doctor will decide if you should receive the vaccine.
Fainting can occur following, or even before, any needle injection. Therefore tell your doctor or nurse if you fainted with a previous injection.
As with all vaccines, QIV High-Dose may not fully protect all persons who are vaccinated.
If, for any reason, you have a blood test within a few days following a flu vaccination, please tell your doctor. This is because false positive blood test results have been observed in a few patients who had recently been vaccinated.
This vaccine should not be used in children, it is only for use in adults aged 60 and older.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are receiving, have recently received or might receive any other vaccines or any other medicines.
- If QIV High-Dose is to be given at the same time as other vaccines, the vaccines should always be administered by using separate limbs.
- It should be noted that the adverse reactions may be intensified by any co-administration.
- The immunological response may decrease in case of immunosuppressant treatment, such as corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs or radiotherapy.
QIV High-Dose is only indicated for use in adults aged 60 years and older.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using this vaccine. Your doctor/pharmacist will help you decide if you should receive QIV High-Dose.
QIV High-Dose has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive or use machines. However, if you are feeling unwell or dizzy it is not wise to drive.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Adults aged 60 years and over receive one 0.7 ml dose.
Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will administer the recommended dose of the vaccine as an injection into the muscle or under the skin.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this vaccine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
See a doctor IMMEDIATELY if you experience:
- Severe allergic reactions:
- that may lead to medical emergency with low blood pressure, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing, rapid heart rate and weak pulse, cold, clammy skin, dizziness, that may lead to collapse (anaphylaxis [including angioedema, i.e. swelling most apparent in the head and neck, including the face, lips, tongue, throat or any other part of the body and which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing]).
See a doctor if you experience:
- Allergic reactions such as skin reactions that may spread throughout the body including itching, hives, rash.
These side effects are rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people).
The below side effects were reported in adults 60 years of age and older.
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
- Reactions at the injection site: pain, redness (erythema)
- Generally feeling unwell (malaise), headache, muscular pain (myalgia)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- Reactions at the injection site: swelling, bruising, hardness (induration)
- Fever, chills (shivering)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
- Reactions at the injection site: pruritus
- Fatigue, lethargy, feeling sick (nausea), vomiting, diarrhoea
- Cough, muscle weakness, indigestion (dyspepsia), inflammation of the throat (oropharyngeal pain)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1000 people):
- Abnormal lack of energy (asthenia), flushing, joint pain (arthralgia), dizziness, night sweats, rash, numbness or pins and needles sensation (paresthesia), inflammation of the nose (rhinorrhea), vertigo, excess of blood in the white of the eye (ocular hyperemia)
- Pain in extremities
Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
- Reduction in the number of certain types of particles in the blood called platelets; a low number of these can result in excessive bruising or bleeding (thrombocytopenia)
- Swelling of the glands in the neck, armpit or groin (lymphadenopathy)
- Neurological disorders that may result in stiff neck, confusion, numbness, pain and weakness of the limbs, loss of balance, loss of reflexes, paralysis of part or all the body (encephalomyelitis and transverse myelitis, brachial neuritis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome), facial palsy (Bell’s palsy), vision disorders due to the optic nerves dysfunction (optic neuritis/neuropathy), fits (convulsions including febrile convulsions), fainting (syncope) shortly after vaccination
- Blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis) which may result in skin rashes and in very rare cases in temporary kidney problems, blood vessel opening (vasodilatation)
- Chest pain
- Wheezing, throat tightness, difficulty breathing (dyspnea).
Most side effects usually occurred within the 3 days following vaccination, and resolved within 3 days. The intensity of these side effects was mild to moderate.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system (see details below). By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
United Kingdom
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA): Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Keep this vaccine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this vaccine after the expiry date which is stated on the label and carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Store in a refrigerator (2°C – 8°C). Do not freeze. Keep the syringe in the outer carton in order to protect from light.
Do not throw away any vaccines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away vaccines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
- The active substances are: Influenza virus (inactivated, split) of the following strains*:
A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like strain
(A/Victoria/4897/2022, IVR-238).........60 micrograms HA**
A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)-like strain
(A/California/122/2022, SAN-022)......60 micrograms HA**
B/Austria/1359417/2021-like strain
(B/Michigan/01/2021, wild type)........60 micrograms HA**
B/Phuket/3073/2013-like strain
(B/Phuket/3073/2013, wild type)........60 micrograms HA**
Per 0.7 ml dose
* propagated in embryonated chicken eggs
** haemagglutinin
This vaccine complies with the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommendations (Northern Hemisphere) and EU decision for the 2024/2025 season.
The other ingredients are: a buffer solution containing sodium chloride, monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic sodium phosphate, water for injections and octoxinol-9.
Some components such as eggs (ovalbumin, chicken proteins) or formaldehyde may be present in very small amounts (see Section 2).
The vaccine, after shaking gently, is a colourless opalescent liquid.
QIV High-Dose is a 0.7 ml suspension for injection presented in a pre-filled syringe with or without needle (in box of 1, 5 or 10) or with safety needle (in box of 1 or 10).
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
The Marketing Authorisation Holder is:
Sanofi Pasteur410 Thames Valley Park Drive
Reading
Berkshire
RG6 1PT
UK
Tel: 0800 035 2525
The Manufacturer is:
Sanofi Pasteur
Parc Industriel d'Incarville
27100 VAL DE REUIL
France
This leaflet was last revised in 04/2024.
522 913642