France will require a prescription for flu vaccination under a rule change taking effect in 2026, according to passeportsante.net. The change applies to people planning to get the flu shot this year.
The country's flu and Covid-19 vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin on October 13, Le Moniteur des pharmacies reports. The prescription requirement is the focus of separate coverage by Le Quotidien du Pharmacien, which describes it as a shift in how the flu vaccine is prescribed.
The rule change arrives against a backdrop of low uptake. Science et vie reports that older adults and healthcare workers in France are not vaccinated against the flu in sufficient numbers. The Fédération nationale de la Mutualité Française has also published material on spending related to flu vaccination.
The reports, published on September 22, 2026, point to a campaign season in which access rules and coverage rates are both in play. The prescription requirement is central to how patients will obtain the vaccine once the campaign opens.
What to watch next: how the prescription rule is applied when the October 13 campaign begins, and whether vaccination rates among older adults and caregivers respond.
