A cheap vaccine has been blamed on the worst Australian flu season on record.

217,000 Aussies had confirmed cases of the flu this year, dwarfing the previous record of just over 100,000 in 2015, according to News Ltd.

The paper is now reporting that doctors are blaming the ‘$6 budget version’ of the flu vaccine used this year.

Immunisation Coalition chair Professor Paul Van Buynder said:

“Paying for a vaccine that doesn’t work is a false economy, if you can stop tens of thousands of people getting sick or hospitalisation the extra expense is worth undertaking.

“This was a disaster year and if we don’t get policy change as a result heaven help me.”