“At GSK we have a unique history for respiratory diseases, a history that began in 1974 with the development of the first therapy to manage asthma symptoms. And we are here today, 50 years later, with new drugs that allow us in this moment to think about complete remission of the disease. Furthermore, we contribute to primary prevention with new vaccines that allow the patient to control the disease and prevent comorbidities, such as for the syncytial virus or shingles”. This was said to Adnkronos Salute by Fabio Landazabal, president and CEO of GSK Italia, during a conference promoted by GSK – today and tomorrow in Rome (Auditorium della Tecnica) – with over 200 Italian pulmonologists, gathered to take stock of the new therapies available for respiratory diseases.
“In these 50 years – recalls Landazabal – the knowledge of respiratory pathologies has moved towards an evolution always followed by our ability to make the most advanced solutions available to the patient. ‘To each his own breath’ was our claim to underline that every patient is unique and for this reason needs personalized therapy and attention. Fifty years of serving patients with extremely disabling pathologies such as asthma and COPD, providing the best solutions”.
GSK, underlines the President and CEO, “continues its commitment to increasing awareness of the importance of immunization of adults, the frail and the chronically ill. Vaccination prevention in adulthood is a clear example of the results we can achieve: if If we made it widespread in adulthood as well as in pediatric and adolescent age, we would obtain protection from diseases such as influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, herpes zoster and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)”.
And given that Italians over 65 today represent 23% (over 4 percentage points more than the EU average) of the total population, and in 2050 they are expected to rise to 35%, the “real challenge is to develop effective vaccines for adult population”, continues Landazabal.
Frailty also increases with age, indeed – he points out – it grows faster, especially among chronic patients who need to protect themselves from further illnesses. And this is also possible today through vaccinations. Between 2011 and 2021, Italians over 50 with mild, moderate or severe frailty went from 26% to 40%. This is why I say that it is important to look more and more at prevention. This is why we have developed vaccines against shingles, RSV and pneumococcus. The entire population over 50 can benefit from a vaccine suitable for their lifestyle or health situation.”
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