[Edaily Reporter KIM SUNG-JIN ] “I checked with every clinic in my neighborhood, but they all said they don’t have imported flu vaccines.”

Mr. Shin (34), a resident of Songpa-gu, Seoul, recently inquired at four nearby clinics about whether they could administer imported flu vaccines, but the response was the same everywhere. While they had domestic vaccines in stock, they had none of the imported ones.

Mr. Shin lamented, “I heard that imported vaccines are more effective than domestic ones, so I looked into it, but I couldn’t find a clinic in my neighborhood that had any in stock.”

According to industry sources on the 14th, vaccine shortages continue as this year’s flu season has arrived earlier than usual. The government explained that it has secured 12.33 million doses (single-dose units) of vaccine for this year’s National Immunization Program (NIP) Daesang (those aged 65 and older, children aged 6 months to 14 years, pregnant women, etc.), but supply issues are still arising for the general public who are not eligible for the NIP.

In particular, this shortage is centered on imported vaccines. Mr. Shin said, “I looked around everywhere to get an imported vaccine for my 2-year-old child, who is eligible for the NIP, and finally found a hospital with a small supply where I was able to have him vaccinated.”

Sanofi-Caused Vaccine Shortage… Imported Vaccine Supply Crisis Persists

This vaccine

shortage

is attributed to the flu season arriving earlier than usual. Additionally, it is reported that pharmaceutical companies struggled to meet production and supply schedules after the World Health Organization (WHO) changed all of this year’s recommended strains—including Type A H1N1 and H3N2, as well as the Type B Victoria lineage.

In particular, risks to the domestic vaccine supply chain have been highlighted for about a month now, as Sanofi—one of the companies contracted by government authorities to supply vaccines—failed to secure the contracted volume. Sanofi had originally planned to import 2.25 million doses, but a supply gap of 500,000 doses caused disruptions in securing the required volume.

A Sanofi official explained, “This supply disruption was caused by changes in multiple influenza strains and delays in the production and distribution of global reagents managed by the WHO’s Reference Laboratories,” adding, “The affected doses were subsequently supplied to the domestic market, and we are continuing to work closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure a stable vaccine supply.”

Previously, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced in June that it had signed the “2026–2027 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Procurement Contract” to receive a total of 12.33 million doses. Six companies— SK BIOSCIENCE(302440), GC Biopharma Corp., Korea Vaccine, and Sanofi—were selected as successful bidders. Sanofi was the third-largest supplier, set to provide 2.25 million doses, following SK BIOSCIENCE (2.7 million doses) and GC Biopharma Corp. (2.66 million doses). The urgent issue regarding the 500,000 doses Sanofi was scheduled to supply has been resolved, as GC Biopharma Corp. redirected the volume it had intended for the private sector to the National Immunization Program (NIP).

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) stated, “We anticipate delays in Sanofi’s initial shipment, so we have replaced the NIP procurement volume with GC Biopharma Corp.,” adding, “There is no change in the total volume that Sanofi will produce and supply domestically.”

Controversy Over Fairness Among Suppliers Regarding NIP Substitute Supplies

However, concerns are emerging within the industry that such supply disruptions could ultimately affect the general public. While vaccine supplies are not absolutely insufficient, analysts note that supply-demand imbalances are occurring because the distribution of specific products is not proceeding smoothly.

In fact, there are reports within the industry that, even though the overall vaccine supply is sufficient, medical institutions are experiencing stock shortages, particularly for certain imported vaccines. This is because wholesalers, after securing supplies of specific products, have restricted distribution or adjusted supply volumes, making it difficult for frontline hospitals and clinics to obtain the products they need.

An industry official stated, “It takes about six months to produce a vaccine, starting from receiving the viral strain from the WHO,” adding, “Facilities that failed to secure sufficient supplies early on may face shortages as the number of people receiving vaccinations increases.”

Above all, concerns have been raised regarding fairness among companies that signed contracts with the government to supply vaccines. GC Biopharma Corp. covered the entire 500,000-dose shortfall caused by Sanofi, even though the company could have generated greater profits had it supplied those doses to the private sector.

This year, the unit price contracted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) for the National Immunization Program (NIP) flu vaccine was set at 8,851 to 9,199 won per dose. Considering that the supply price of flu vaccines in the private market is currently reported to be around 16,000 won per dose, the sales price in the private market is roughly twice as high. It is estimated that if GC Biopharma Corp. had sold the flu vaccines allocated to the NIP in the general market, it could have generated an additional profit of approximately 4 billion won based on a simple calculation. Conversely, Sanofi ended up making a greater profit because the 500,000 doses it imported late were distributed in the private market rather than being allocated to the NIP. In particular, since this year’s procurement unit price for flu vaccines was about 4–5% lower than last year’s, the gap with private market prices widened even further.

Another industry official stated, “Since vaccine supply is a matter directly linked to public health, it is necessary to examine not only the total supply volume but also whether vaccines are being smoothly delivered to medical institutions.”