Highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccine field trials began in England on Thursday 5 March 2026, with a government announcement on GOV.UK confirming a 24-week programme focused on turkeys. The study is intended to generate the operational evidence needed to judge whether vaccination could be used as a future control tool in the UK.
According to the announcement, the work will test the latest UK/EU-authorised vaccines under commercial-like conditions. It will assess protection in turkeys, examine how surveillance could be adapted to retain trade, and consider where vaccination might sit alongside existing measures such as movement controls and culling in outbreaks.
Officials point to unprecedented HPAI activity in recent years across the UK and Europe, which has placed sustained pressure on producers and public authorities. Government figures indicate annual outbreaks can cost the public sector and industry up to £174 million, while wild and captive bird populations worldwide have been heavily affected since 2020.
Turkeys were prioritised because the species is highly susceptible to HPAI, with outbreaks often presenting severe clinical signs and rapid, elevated mortality. Focusing on a single, vulnerable species is designed to provide clear read-outs on immune response and protection before any discussion of broader application.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has approved the trial, which will be carried out under strict supervision using authorised vaccines in a small, controlled cohort. Policy on mass vaccination remains unchanged: vaccinating poultry against avian influenza is not currently permitted in the UK outside licensed trials.
Senior officials underscored both the strategic importance of the work and the continuing need for good husbandry. UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said the trial is central to understanding how vaccines could be deployed effectively, while reiterating that stringent biosecurity remains the first line of defence for bird keepers. APHA expert Professor Ashley Banyard noted that measuring immune response in turkeys will indicate the suitability of candidate vaccines against H5N1.
Trade and surveillance considerations sit at the core of the study. The government aims to understand how surveillance can be managed to maintain confidence with trading partners if vaccination is used. Comparable programmes underway in Italy and the Netherlands will contribute to the international evidence base informing any future decisions.
Findings will feed into the UK HPAI Vaccination Taskforce. In July 2025, the Taskforce’s report on GOV.UK outlined the status and challenges of vaccination, included cost–benefit analysis across sectors, and recommended a domestic field trial in turkeys; the present trial responds to that recommendation.
The programme is scheduled to run for 24 weeks from 5 March 2026, concluding on or around Thursday 20 August 2026. Results will inform subsequent decisions on authorisation, surveillance and trade management. Until any policy changes are announced, government guidance continues to emphasise rigorous biosecurity, vigilance for clinical signs and prompt reporting by all bird keepers.