High-Dose Flu Shots May Benefit Younger Adults
November 8th, 2017
The high-dose flu shot, which contains four times the flu-fighting substance of the standard vaccine and is typically recommended for older adults due to their diminished immune response, may also provide benefit to middle-aged adults with chronic health conditions. According to recent results from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, expanding the high-dose flu vaccine recommendation to include people aged 50-64 with illnesses like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or cancer may make economic sense and save lives. However, at almost double the price, it is more expensive than the standard-dose vaccine.
To test the value of conducting large studies of the vaccine in 50- to 64-year-olds with chronic conditions, lead author Jonathan Raviotta, M.P.H., C.P.H and his colleagues used the Influenza Decision Analysis model developed by The Pittsburgh Vaccination Research Group (PittVax) to explore the cost-effectiveness of alternate influenza vaccination scenarios. “The growing proportion of middle-aged adults with chronic health conditions coupled with the modest effectiveness of the standard-dose influenza vaccine prompted us to explore whether existing vaccines already recommended for the elderly also could protect younger people,” said Raviotta. “Sure enough, expanding the recommendation does seem like a good policy — in silico [by computer simulation]. Before making such a recommendation, real world clinical trials are needed.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 12,000 and 56,000 people die annually in the U.S. from the flu, and up to 35.6 million people are infected. This adds up to an estimated $10.4 billion a year in direct medical expenses and an additional $16.3 billion in lost earnings annually. Using the best available data, the PittVax team reported that the high-dose vaccine would need to provide at least 18 percent more protection than the standard-dose vaccine to justify the increased cost per dose. “PittVax will continue to test new vaccination scenarios to help guide flu immunization recommendations,” said senior author Richard K. Zimmerman, MD, MPH. “These analyses are essential to choosing the best immunization policies that save lives from influenza, which kills thousands annually.”
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