Pandemic makes 100 million other vaccines inaccessible

COVID-19 has had an impact on society and brought profound changes to our environment. The decline in adult vaccinations may be one of the most dramatic.A new report consulted Target revealed During 2021 and 2022, the use of 100 million different new crown vaccines will be stopped globally, Progress towards reversing global widespread adult immunization as the new standard of care.

Despite the success of covid-19 vaccination programs for adults, only 16.2 doses of non-COVID-19 vaccines per 100 adults globallyThat compares with 132 doses of the covid-19 vaccine for every 100 adults in 2022. The analysis included influenza, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, shingles, and pneumococcal vaccines.

While adult vaccination rates remain relatively low year after year, progress is “commendable,” the report said. Progress has been impacted by the pandemic, as total doses of these vaccines fell 12% between 2020 and 2022, from 400 million doses in 2020 to 363 in 2021 and 351 million in 2022.

According to the report, by 2030, the population over the age of 60 will exceed 1.4 billion, and adult vaccination is one of the most important and cost-effective public health measures. “Its benefits are not limited to the prevention of acute disease, but also the avoidance of long-term consequences such as comorbidities, poor health, and reduced incidence of complications arising from chronic diseases such as diabetes, respiratory disease, and heart failure,” the study wrote way, which states More than 80% of the vaccines under development are for adults.

“While significant progress has been made in the development of vaccines that can help extend adult lifespan, data show that we are failing to protect adults around the world from vaccine-preventable diseases. Improving adult immunization is the key to supporting healthy aging It is part of the solution to globalizing vaccines, building a strong workforce, improving healthcare capacity, and increasing socioeconomic and health system resilience,” said Piyali Mukherjee, GSK’s vice president of global vaccine physician affairs, in a release.Influenza alone is estimated to cause as many as Five million people are hospitalized and 650,000 die each year.

Less than 2% of drug spending goes to vaccines

report data also Indicating that investment in adult vaccines remains low, accounting for less than 2% of total pharmaceutical spending. While growth rates in Europe and North America increased slightly by 0.2 to 0.5 percentage points over time, there was little change in other countries. In Latin America, investment has stagnated at 0.1% for a decade, on par with Africa (0.2%); in Asia, aside from a slight increase in 2020, funds allocated to vaccinations have accounted for 0.4% of their pharmaceutical spending since 2013 .

GSK argues: “With investment in adult vaccines accounting for less than 2% of total pharmaceutical spending, there is ample opportunity to invest more aggressively in prevention rather than spending on avoidable illnesses and hospitalizations care.” Government invests in vaccinations for adults over 50 can generate a return of four euros Due to the impact on growth, productivity and labor force participation, as well as tax and pension systems. “

Spain has one of the best vaccination programs for adults

In the absence of official data, experts consulted by THE OBJECTIVE are convinced that adults in Spain are vaccinated at about 50% of the population, one of the major unresolved issues in our country in this regard, while childhood immunization is still in the stagnation. One of the great public health victories of the 20th century.

Influenza Vaccination Coverage in the Adult Population Aged 65 or Older in Enrolled Campaign 21-22 69.4%, getting closer to the target (75%). However, differences between communities are underlying. In Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León, for example, more than 75 percent of adults are vaccinated against influenza, while in The Basque Country barely reached 31%, and the Canary Islands 59%.

However, consulted experts ensure that we have one of the best adult vaccination programs in Spain. This year, apart from COVID-19, there have been no changes to the lifetime universal vaccination calendar since 2019, but four important revisions have been made this year: Shingles vaccine for adults age 65 – can also appeal to older people –, Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for 12-year-olds –so far only in girls–, Flu vaccine for children under five – 6 to 59 months – and Meningitis B vaccine for 2-month-old, 4-month-old, and 12-month-old babies.

Currently, there are 11 vaccines in the recommended vaccination schedule for children and adults. However, according to data from the Ministry of Health, Spain invests only 0.25% of the total health budget in vaccines, while 25% is allocated to pharmaceutical procurement.