WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Next generation influenza vaccines that provide broader and longer-lasting protection than existing seasonal vaccines, could play a vital role in reducing the global burden of the contagious viral infection, according to a recent World Health Organization assessment.
The new WHO Full value of improved influenza vaccine assessment (FVIVA) and Vaccine journal article evaluate the health, economic, and policy impacts of next-generation influenza vaccines and identifies future barriers to their uptake globally. They provide a basis to guide investment, policy decisions, and introduction strategies - supporting stronger seasonal influenza programs and enhanced pandemic preparedness.
According to the WHO, each year, around a billion cases of seasonal influenza are being reported globally. OUt of this, 3 to 5 million cases are leading to severe illness and an estimated 290000 to 650000 deaths from respiratory complications.
While current influenza vaccines help reduce the burden of disease, their effectiveness can vary by season, product, and population group. Protection is limited to one season. Twice a year, WHO convenes experts from the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System to issue recommendations for the influenza vaccine strain composition. While 143 countries reported to WHO that they have seasonal influenza vaccines available, upper-middle and high-income countries use the majority of influenza vaccine doses.
The FVIVA estimates that if improved, next-generation, or universal influenza vaccines are available and widely used between 2025 and 2050, they could prevent up to 18 billion cases of influenza and save up to 6.2 million lives globally, particularly among people at higher risk of severe disease, such as older adults, young children and pregnant women.
The study also shows that in many countries these influenza vaccines could continue to be cost-effective or even cost-saving, while also contributing to reduced antimicrobial use. Influenza vaccine uptake also reduces antimicrobial resistance with the current use estimated to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use by 10 million doses a year. Next-generation influenza vaccines could avert up to 1.3 billion defined daily doses of antibiotics between 2025 and 2050, contributing significantly to combating increasing antimicrobial resistance globally.
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