View the Comparison Table: Antiviral Drugs for Seasonal Influenza for 2025-2026

Healthcare providers are often asked if drugs can be used past their expiration date. Because of legal restrictions and liability concerns, manufacturers do not sanction such use and usually do not comment on the safety or effectiveness of their products beyond the date on the label. Since our last article on this subject, more data have become available.

Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but complications including pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur, especially in persons at increased risk (see Table 1).

Annual vaccination against influenza A and B viruses is recommended in the US for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication. Influenza vaccines available in the US for the 2025-2026 season are listed in Table 2.