The campaign targeted healthcare professionals in France and Germany and gave rise to dawn raids in October 2025 (see, Van Bael & Bellis Life Sciences News & Insights of 2 October 2025).

At issue are Sanofi’s Efluelda® and the rival product Fluad®, whose marketing authorisation holder is CSL Seqirus. Sanofi stands accused of disregarding scientific findings in support of Fluad®, misrepresenting national vaccination recommendations, and asserting that the national vaccination recommendation for Fluad® is encumbered by unresolved scientific objections raised by medical professional societies. These proceedings form part of a long line of disparagement cases pursued over the years by both national competition authorities and the Commission.

Notably, the Commission not only challenged Sanofi’s conduct but also invited the company to offer commitments that would enable the Commission to close the proceedings without a formal finding of a competition rule breach. This mirrors the approach which the Commission took in July 2024, when it accepted commitments from Vifor Pharma concerning messaging relating to a competitor’s intravenous iron treatment (see, Van Bael & Bellis Life Sciences News & Insights of 22 July 2024).