Canada has joined several European countries in suspending distribution of a flu vaccine made by pharmaceutical giant Novartis.

The suspension comes after Novartis found small clumps of virus-particles in some batches of the vaccine made at the companies plant in Italy.

Health Canada is advising doctors and flu clinics to hold off using the Novartis vaccine for the time-being.

Officials with Health Canada call it a precautionary step, adding that they have had no adverse effects related to the vaccine.

Novartis manufactures about 20 per cent of the total flu vaccine made in Canada.