LONDON, Feb. 11 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) hastoday, 11 February2026,announcedchanges tothe use ofthe Chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ, following recommendationsbythe Commission on Human Medicines (CHM),the government'sindependent expert advisory committee.
The vaccine should now only be used in adultsaged18 to 59years.Itshould not be used inpeople aged 60 or over,andinindividuals of any age who havehighblood pressure, heart disease,diabetes,or chronic kidney disease.
IXCHIQ vaccineshould also not be usedin individuals who areimmunodeficient or immunosuppressed, including IgA (immunoglobulin A) deficiency, and those who have a history of thymus disorder and/orthymectomy.
The CHM concluded that the benefits of vaccination remainfavourablefor individuals at risk of chikungunya infectionwho areaged 18-59 years and who do not havethe above conditions.Trained healthcare professionals must undertake a comprehensive benefit risk assessment before offering the IXCHIQvaccine, andcaution is advised when vaccinating individuals with two or more underlying chronic health conditions.
As a precaution, the vaccine should be given at least30 daysbefore travelto ensure that if any serious adverse reactions occur the individual is still in the UK with appropriate accessto healthcare, and there are no language barriers.
The decision to restrictthe use of the IXCHIQ vaccineis based on global safety data, where 28cases of serious adverse reactionshave been reported,of whichthreehada fatal outcome.
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is found in the subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Southeast Asia, India, and the Pacific Region, and is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.The virus cannot be spread from person-to-person throughcasual contact such ascoughing, sneezing, or touching.
The majority ofpeople infected with CHIKV develop a sudden fever and severe pain in multiple joints(arthralgia). Other symptoms may includeheadache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. These symptoms typically resolve within 7 to10 days, and most patients make a fullrecovery.An updated patient information leaflet will be available shortly.
Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this vaccine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card.
Notes to editors
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In February 2025, theMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)approved the IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine, seehere.
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In June 2025, the MHRA issued anewsstoryandDrug Safety Updateannouncing a temporary precautionary pause ontheuse of the vaccine in people aged 65 years and over while further safety data were reviewed.
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Following completion of this safety review, the MHRA has now issued a newDrug Safety Updatesetting outpermanent restrictionsontheuseof the vaccine, in line with advice from the Commission on Human Medicines.This information will bereflectedin thePatientInformationLeaflet for this vaccine.
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The MHRAis responsible forregulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK,ensuring theyare effectiveand acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
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The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
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For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
