[건강한 가족] “Immunity-boosted vaccine is more effective than standard flu vaccine… rapidly introduced in NIPs in key countries”

an interview Jonathan Anderson, General Manager, Europe and Asia Pacific Medical, CSL Securus

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, health authorities and the medical community around the world are responding more aggressively to preventing and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The latest trends are quickly reflected in the answer manual. A representative example is the response to high-risk groups for influenza (flu). Many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, quickly introduced highly immunogenic influenza vaccines, including immune-boosting vaccines, into the National Immunization Assistance Project (NIP ). It is a strategy to prevent loss and spread effectively. We heard about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine and the importance of introducing NIP from Jonathan Anderson, CSL Securus Europe and Asia Pacific Regional Medical Director (Ph.D. in Health Economics), who visited on Korea to attend the Korean Society of Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

Q: I understand that you visited Korea to attend the Korean Society for Infectious Zoonotic Diseases. What will be discussed at this conference?

A: “As a global vaccine company, Securus is talking about how to effectively prepare for an influenza pandemic based on its immune-boosting and cell culture technologies. “We are talking about developing a vaccine to prepare for a pandemic based on a lot of data, and there are discussions going on about vaccinating at the stage before a real pandemic occurs or before a disease starts.” whether animals or people.”

Q: For the first time in Korea, the flu vaccine (Fluad Quad) for the elderly was released in the 23rd and 24th seasons. Why is it necessary for the elderly to receive immunity boosting vaccines?

A: “As a result of comparing and analyzing different seasons, there were years when conventional vaccines were not effective at all. In particular, for seniors over 65 years of age, vaccine effectiveness is further reduced as a result of aging. In fact, the mortality rate among the elderly due to the flu is reported to be very high. According to a recent study, in Korea, the influenza-related mortality rate for people over 65 years of age was estimated to be between 46 and 54 per 100,000 people on average, although inter- there are differences according to the season and the method.”

Q: Is the prevention effect proven?

A: “Some European countries have been using adjuvant vaccines for over 20 years. The trivalent vaccine was introduced in 1997, and the quadrivalent vaccine was introduced in 2020. Among the countries implementing the National Immunization Program (NIP) , there are countries that import vaccines that contain adjuvants. Looking at the data available so far, medicated vaccines sometimes show 10-15% higher efficacy than conventional vaccines, and in some cases show even better data . Although it is relative, there is hard data to show that it provides superior benefits compared to conventional vaccines. “There is also data to show that effectiveness never decreases compared to high dose vaccines, which is another way to increase vaccine effectiveness. ”

Q: In 2023, the Korean Infectious Diseases Society recommended an immunogenic influenza vaccine, including an immune booster vaccine, for people over 65 years of age through an amendment to the adult vaccine, but NIP was not included.

A: “Health authorities in each country commonly recommend the use of vaccines with better protective effects, especially for people over 65 years old. In the United States, the American Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the use of high-dose vaccines or immune-boosting vaccines for seniors aged 65 years or older. This also applies to Canada and the UK. Germany has also introduced the proposal, and Australia, Spain, parts of Italy, and Scandinavian countries are also joining. “Countries with economic levels similar to Korea make this decision most often, and although there are differences in age by country, vaccination with a highly immunogenic vaccine is recommended at the national level for people at least 65 years of age or older.”

Q: Why did these countries choose immune boosting vaccines as NIPs?

A: “This is because we believe that the immune booster vaccine is very helpful in preventing the elderly from becoming infected with the flu and preventing the condition from becoming becomes more serious and leads to death. Accordingly, policy makers seem to have decided that it is worth paying even if it costs more than a standard vaccine. It has been proven that there are greater benefits when using an improved vaccine compared to a standard vaccine. Studies have shown that the use of a vaccine with a 5% higher immunoprotective effect is more effective than a 5% vaccination rate increase to increase the effectiveness of protection in a specific population. Cost saving effects on the health care system are also being confirmed, with data showing that spending on hospital related costs can be significantly reduced. Therefore, it can be said that the use of a vaccine with a high protective effect is a more appropriate way to achieve the desired health results. ”

Ryu Jang-Hoon (ryu.janghoon@joongang.co.kr)