Vaccinating adults helps ease pressures on healthcare providers and delivers benefits to society more broadly. It’s time to realise that potential value in full.

Vaccines are commonly associated with childhood, but their importance extends into adulthood and old age. Recent studies highlighted that adult vaccination programmes are not only beneficial for individual health but also have a significant positive impact on the economy. Our latest analysis shows these programmes can return up to 19 times their initial investment.

Inconsistent access to vaccines

Despite the clear advantages, access to adult vaccines varies significantly from country to country. For example, while the flu vaccine is widely recommended throughout the European Union, only about a third of countries recommend the vaccine for shingles. This inconsistency affects the overall success and perceived value of vaccination programmes.

Prevention of disease is crucial for coping with the unprecedented and growing demand for healthcare globally.

The financial benefits of vaccination

Our new analysis, commissioned by IFPMA, demonstrates that publicly funded adult immunisation programmes against flu, pneumonia, shingles and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can deliver significant health and socioeconomic benefits.

Across 10 countries, we showed that implemented immunisation programmes return up to 19 times their initial investment. This translates to billions of dollars in societal gains and an average of about USD 4,600 per vaccinated individual.

Recognising the full value of vaccines

However, evidence for the broader elements of vaccine value is still scarce in many countries. Such factors include the prevention of antimicrobial resistance, social equity and a country’s overall economic performance. This knowledge gap can lead to an underestimation of vaccines’ full potential and impact governmental investment decisions.

Optimising adult vaccination strategies

Prevention of disease is crucial for coping with the unprecedented and growing demand for healthcare globally. To fully benefit from adult immunisation programmes as disease prevention tools, they must be well-supported and embedded in a well-functioning delivery infrastructure. Addressing evidence gaps will enable better decision-making and support important global health initiatives like the WHO’s Immunization Agenda 2030.

This blog was originally published by Media Planet on 25 April 2024. The expert for this blog is Lotte Steuten, OHE, whose organization was behind an independent report on the socioeconomic impact of adult vaccination, commissioned by IFPMA.

Author

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  Lotte Steuten Deputy Chief Executive, Office of Health Economics