Vaccines, experts: “Not only for children and fragile people but standards for healthy aging”

In an aging world, it is important to make adult immunization a standard of care to reduce the incidence of predictable infections and diseases and age healthily. This is the exhortation that came from the experts gathered in Wavre, Belgium, during a meeting with the press held at the GSK vaccine production site, the largest in the world, on the occasion of World Immunization Week (24- April 30).

By 2030 – we read in a note – the number of people over 60 will increase by more than a third, reaching 1.4 billion globally and the number will be 2.1 billion in 2050. When you exceed 60 years we are “moving towards immunosenescence, whereby there is a progressive reduction in the effectiveness of the immune system's response to infections – explains Jamie Rutland, Pulmonary, critical care, internal medicine at Rutland Medic Group – When you are vaccinated, not only do you it creates a barrier against a specific disease, but you also teach your immune system to fight others. It is essential that everyone is well informed and understands the risks of infectious diseases, such as shingles, influenza and pneumonia. We must move beyond the idea that vaccination is a one-off event for children or frail elderly people and encourage governments and the public to adopt vaccination throughout their lives. This strategy can not only prevent individual infections, but lead to a more healthily aging population and further protect against the effects of comorbidity with other diseases.”

Data presented at the meeting points to approximately $1 trillion in annual productivity losses in G20 countries due to preventable conditions among people aged 50 to 64. At a European level “it is important to invest in prevention and immunization because there is an economic return – underlines Sibilia Quilici, Executive Director Vaccines Europe at Efpia – European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations – The Ministry of Economy should recognize the importance of prevention and immunization because there can be an economic return on investment. There is a need to implement existing vaccinations, such as influenza. Unfortunately, there is still too little coverage. In fact, 77% of European Union countries spend less than 0.5% of their health budget on immunisation”. Italy, historically considered one of the strategic research and production hubs of GSK – a biopharmaceutical which distributes around 1.5 million doses and has 19 vaccines in development – expects a total investment of 800 million euros in the five-year period 2020-2025, of of which 59% destined for vaccines.

Immunization programs have consistently demonstrated a significant return on vaccine investment. A study published in the International Journal of Technology assessment in health care in 2020 shows that pneumococcal infection, with an estimated 90 thousand cases, had an economic impact of approximately 148 million euros and a fiscal impact of 24 million. Herpes zoster, with an estimated 6,400 cases, generated a total impact of 4,777,200 euros. Of this sum, 630 thousand euros derive from the decrease in tax collections, which underlines the direct impact of this disease, less prevalent but no less serious, on economic resources. Another study conducted in the Netherlands showed that every euro invested in the vaccination of adults aged 50 and over would produce over 4 euros of economic income for the rest of the sample's life, through its effects on growth, productivity and participation. to the workforce, on tax and pension systems.

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Among the diseases that cause a significant economic impact due to the unprotected population are certainly herpes zoster and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Throughout the world, every year, there are 330 thousand hospitalizations of elderly people only due to RSV who, once discharged, in 1 case out of 4 (up to 24.5%) require professional home care or require readmission within 3 months after discharge (26.6%). Furthermore, after hospitalization, the mortality rate is almost 33%.

Regarding vaccinations, the situation at a global level “is very fragmented – observes Jane Barratt, Global Advisor, International Federation on Aging (Ifa) – Canada, that for Herpes zoster is very complicated, in Australia there is instead a national system which implements vaccinations statewide. Overall, I think it is important not so much to compare the differences, but rather to analyze the good practices implemented by some countries and try to replicate them in all the other less virtuous ones. Italy – he continues – has done an excellent job in terms of vaccination during Covid 19 and I hope that it will continue in the same vein with regards to all other vaccinations. Most people understand the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise to improve and maintain function, including mobility, but are much less aware that as we age, there is a natural weakening of our system immune system, which – concludes Barratt – makes it increasingly difficult to fight infections and recover from diseases”.