Vaccine
-
In 2003, the World Health Assembly (WHA) issued a resolution for prevention and control of influenza pandemics and annual epidemics, which urges the European Union 25 (EU-25) Member States to (1) establish and implement strategies to increase vaccination coverage of all people at high risk, including the elderly and people with underlying disease, with the goal of attaining vaccination coverage of the elderly population of at least 50% by 2006 and 75% by 2010; (2) to assess the disease burden and economic impact of annual influenza epidemics as a basis for framing and implementing influenza prevention policies. This resolution was reinforced by the European Union (EU), where Member States agreed to make additional efforts to improve uptake on their territory in accordance with their own recommendations and to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of 75% in high risk groups before 2010. It was also noted that the changing demographic profile of the EU population would result in an increasing number of elderly people falling within the current target groups. ⋯ There is a gap between current vaccination coverage and the EU recommendations. The public health consequences of low vaccination coverage include increased morbidity, hospitalisations and mortality associated with influenza-related complications. This model is a powerful tool to: (1) support EU public health officials in implementing recommendations; (2) to visualize the need for increased vaccination rates for better influenza control; (3) the consequences of low vaccine coverage.
-
ESWI recommends that the 25 European Union nations strive to vaccinate one-third of their collective population every year by 2010. This translates into an annual vaccine usage of 150 million doses for a population of 455 million. However, the current vaccine usage in Europe is 79 million doses, meaning that only 40% of ESWI's recommended target population is being vaccinated in the EU-25. ⋯ K. Nichol to steer this session's workshop debate. The participants were a diverse group of 35 health care workers from Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The virosomal influenza vaccine Invivac: immunogenicity and tolerability compared to an adjuvanted influenza vaccine (Fluad in elderly subjects.
Several approaches are currently being pursued in order to improve the efficacy of influenza vaccines in elderly individuals and others who have impaired immune responses to conventional influenza vaccines. There are two influenza vaccines available for elderly subjects: Fluad (Chiron) and Invivac (Solvay Pharmaceuticals). The present clinical study was a randomized, endpoint-blind, parallel group study in elderly subjects aged 61 years and older to investigate the safety and immunogenicity of these vaccines as compared to a standard influenza vaccine Invivac (Solvay Pharmaceuticals). The three vaccines had similar immunogenicity results, whereas the tolerability profile of Invivac was better as compared to Fluad.
-
To assess the implementation of guidelines for using neuraminidase inhibitors in the control of influenza outbreaks in Dutch nursing homes, data were collected on prophylactic and therapeutic use of anti-viral medication, indications for use and criteria for prescribing, based on experiences during the influenza season 2004-2005 in a retrospective cross-sectional survey among Dutch nursing homes after the 2004-2005 season. Ninety/194 (49%) participating nursing homes reported an outbreak of influenza-like illness; in 57/194 (29%) influenza was laboratory confirmed. In 37/57 homes (65%) oseltamivir had been used as prophylaxis. ⋯ Among clinicians with laboratory confirmed influenza, 41/46 (89%) had used oseltamivir therapeutically. Main reasons for not prescribing oseltamivir for prophylaxis and/or therapy were lack of scientific evidence, high costs, and absent or delayed laboratory confirmation. Logistical bottlenecks in diagnosis, cost-effectiveness concerns, and lack of an evidence-base hamper full integration in policy and should be addressed.