Adult vaccination programmes are delivering real benefits for health systems and societies across the globe.
While mentioning a report ahead of the WHO’s World Immunisation Week in April, IFPMA Vaccines Policy Director Laetitia Bigger has stated that addressing evidence gaps found in the report will be critical in meeting the ambition of the Immunisation Agenda 2030.
“Vaccines are one of the most effective public health measures and can also be a powerful driver of more productive economies and resilient societies. These benefits must be better understood if we are to ensure that people who can benefit from adult immunisation programmes can access them”, stated Laetitia.
First-of-its-kind study (analysis) of adult immunisation programmes by the Office of Health Economics (OHE) and commissioned by IFPMA looked at four adult vaccines across ten countries where they are available to determine the wider economic and social impact.
Focusing on vaccines that protect against influenza (flu), pneumococcal disease, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and herpes zoster (shingles), the research looks at the delivery of vaccine programmes in countries that represent a range of healthcare systems, demographics, and vaccine schedules – Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States.
The report concludes that the vaccination programmes deliver substantial returns on government investment through cost savings within healthcare systems and wider socio-economic benefits. Preventing illness reduces doctor and hospital visits, meaning valuable resources can be allocated elsewhere, and ensuring a healthy and active workforce throughout life can boost economic productivity.
The data also demonstrate that adult immunisation can deliver socio-economic returns proportional to childhood immunisation programmes. Despite this, access to adult vaccination is inconsistent around the world, with limited inclusion in routine immunisation schedules.
Professor Lotte Steuten, Deputy CEO of OHE, and co-author of the report, said: “Increasing pressures on ailing healthcare systems, such as ageing populations, are driving an urgent need to shift to a prevention-first mindset. Our report sets out a compelling case for adult immunisation programmes playing a key role in the shift to prevention.
Our findings show that costs are offset multiple times over by benefits to society when governments invest in adult immunisation programmes. These returns are realised through benefits to individuals, families, and communities, providing a clear call to action to countries not already implementing or expanding robust vaccination schedules.”
The report revealed that adult vaccination programmes can return up to 19 times their initial investment when the full spectrum of economic and societal benefits is valued.
The 19x return is equivalent to up to $ 4,637 in net monetary benefits to society per individual full vaccination course.
