The MHRA has withdrawn the UK licence for the IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine
Sixteen months after it reached the UK market, the live chikungunya vaccine has been withdrawn.
On 20 October 2026, the MHRA withdrew the UK licence for IXCHIQ. This is a live attenuated chikungunya vaccine. The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) advised on the decision. The MHRA concluded that the vaccine's benefits no longer outweigh its risks.¹
The MHRA's advice for healthcare professionals is:¹
Do not prescribe, supply or give IXCHIQ.
Dispose of any remaining stock in line with local policy.
Remove IXCHIQ from any materials or systems that list UK vaccine options.
Tell travellers about other ways to cut their risk. These include other chikungunya vaccines, avoiding mosquito bites and current travel health advice.
People who have already had IXCHIQ need no action because of this decision. Anyone who had a suspected reaction should seek medical advice.
Keep reporting suspected reactions on a Yellow Card.
Why it was withdrawn
Serious reactions have been reported since the vaccine was licensed. These include symptoms like chikungunya infection and rare neurological events such as encephalitis. Most cases were in older adults and people with underlying conditions. But some were in people with no known health problems. Some cases led to hospital admission or death.¹
How the restrictions built up
The MHRA first licensed IXCHIQ in February 2025. It was for adults aged 18 and over.² It reached the UK market on 18 June 2025.³ That same day, the CHM temporarily restricted its use in people aged 65 and over. This followed very rare fatal reactions reported worldwide.⁴
In February 2026, after a safety review, the MHRA set tighter limits:³
It should not be used in adults aged 60 and over.
It was contraindicated in people with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or CKD.
It stayed contraindicated in people with immunodeficiency or immunosuppression.
People with two or more underlying conditions needed extra caution.
It had to be given at least 30 days before travel. That way, any serious reaction would happen while the person was still in the UK.
A full benefit-risk assessment had to come first. It had to be done by someone trained in assessing live vaccines.
What the manufacturer said
Valneva makes IXCHIQ. On 7 October, it said it disagreed with the CHM and MHRA but would not appeal. It said sales to UK travellers were low and it had not actively supplied the UK for several months. Its licences in the EU, Canada and Brazil are not affected.⁵
The other chikungunya vaccine
A second vaccine, Vimkunya, is still available in the UK. It is a non-replicating virus-like particle vaccine. The MHRA approved it in May 2025 for people aged 12 and over.²
JCVI advice, last updated before the withdrawal, says a chikungunya vaccine may be considered for:
people travelling to areas with an active outbreak
long-term or frequent travellers to areas with spread in the past 5 years
laboratory staff who work with the virus
JCVI advises bite avoidance alongside any vaccine.²
What does this mean in primary care?
IXCHIQ must no longer be prescribed, supplied or given in the UK.
Travel templates, clinical systems and patient leaflets that still list it need updating.
People who had IXCHIQ with no side effects need no follow-up or revaccination.
Anyone who had a suspected reaction should seek medical advice and report it on a Yellow Card.
Travellers to areas with chikungunya still have options. Vimkunya remains available, and bite avoidance still matters.
Since February, IXCHIQ was already ruled out for many people seen in general practice. This includes people with hypertension, diabetes or CKD.
Intended for UK healthcare professionals only. This article reports on MHRA safety communications and does not constitute prescribing advice.
References
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine: UK marketing authorisation withdrawn following safety review. Drug Safety Update. 2026;20(3):2. 20 October 2026. https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/ixchiq-chikungunya-vaccine-uk-marketing-authorisation-withdrawn-following-safety-review (accessed October 2026)
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Chikungunya vaccine in UK travellers: JCVI advice. 16 July 2025, updated 17 March 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chikungunya-vaccine-for-uk-travellers-jcvi-advice-16-july-2025/chikungunya-vaccine-in-uk-travellers-jcvi-advice (accessed October 2026)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine: updates to restrictions of use following safety review. Drug Safety Update. 2026;19(7). 11 February 2026. https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/ixchiq-chikungunya-vaccine-updates-to-restrictions-of-use-following-safety-review (accessed October 2026)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine: temporary suspension in people aged 65 years or older. Drug Safety Update. 18 June 2025. https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/ixchiq-chikungunya-vaccine-temporary-suspension-in-people-aged-65-years-or-older (accessed October 2026)
Valneva SE. Valneva provides update on IXCHIQ in the United Kingdom. Press release, 7 October 2026. https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/valneva-provides-update-on-ixchiq-in-the-united-kingdom (accessed October 2026)