Brussels – 26.06.2026: The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation against the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi. The focus is on suspicion that Sanofi disparaged the flu vaccine Fluad from its competitor CSL Seqirus through a campaign. Sanofi is alleged to have promoted its own enhanced flu vaccine Efluelda to medical professionals with allegedly misleading messages by portraying Fluad as inferior and distorting official recommendations in countries such as Germany and France. These practices could constitute an abuse of a dominant market position in violation of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
According to the Commission, some of Sanofi’s statements are said to have contradicted the recommendations of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as well as national health authorities. This investigation follows unannounced inspections conducted by Brussels in September 2025 and represents a rare case of inquiry regarding disparagement campaigns in the pharmaceutical sector.
Sanofi emphasized that the opening of the proceeding does not imply any finding of an actual infringement and that the company is fully cooperating with the European Commission. Moreover, a preliminary assessment has been sent to the company, which allows it the opportunity to propose commitments to prevent the continuation of the procedure.
This development comes at a time when Sanofi is already facing other competition investigations. Recently, the company was fined 150 million euros in France for obstructing the market entry of generics of its anticoagulant Plavix.
The European Commission’s investigation underscores the importance of fair competition practices in the pharmaceutical sector, especially in the field of vaccines, which are critical to public health. The results of this investigation could have far-reaching impacts on the competitive landscape of the European vaccine market.
In the past, the European Commission has already imposed substantial fines on companies such as Teva for abusing their dominant market position to hinder competition. Such measures aim to ensure that the market for medicines and vaccines remains fair and transparent, benefiting consumers and public health.
The ongoing investigation against Sanofi is therefore being closely watched as it raises important questions about competitiveness and fairness in the European pharmaceutical market.
The outcomes of this investigation could be significant not only for Sanofi but for the entire industry, potentially shaping future competition practices in the pharmaceutical sector considerably.