On the occasion of World Immunization Week, which runs from April 24 to 30, GSK emphasizes that it is necessary to stop putting only "patient care" at the center of health action, investing in population literacy and preventive strategies to make adult immunization the standard of care. "Adult immunization, through vaccination, is a key component for the prevention of chronic and infectious diseases, promoting public health, healthy aging and contributing positively to the economy", he says in a statement.

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Currently, the world is undergoing significant demographic changes, with population aging emerging as a dominant trend. "By 2030, the number of people over 60 is expected to increase by more than a third, to 1.4 billion people, representing a vital part of our global economy. In addition, health systems are facing enormous pressures and delays in treatment, intensified by the 'triple epidemic' of Covid-19, seasonal flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) last winter, along with increasing rates of chronic diseases at increasingly younger ages", he also says.

"By adopting global and personalized immunization strategies, adults can continue to be active and healthy participants in society - extending quality of life, productivity, contributions to local economies and reducing healthcare costs adjacent to the treatment of preventable diseases." Even so, and "too often, adults miss the opportunity for vaccination, despite being increasingly susceptible to immune decline and infectious diseases, and at greater risk of developing chronic diseases", he points out.

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For GSK, "it is necessary to raise awareness among decision-makers, facilitating access to prevention, but also to the population", defends Neuza Teixeira, country medical director of GSK Portugal. And, he adds: "Over the years we have come to realize that the lack of knowledge that the population has about various diseases and viruses, such as RSV and the virus responsible for herpes zoster, for example, has been an obstacle in terms of vaccination of adults".

World Immunization Week is an initiative of the World Health Organization, which this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Program on Immunization - recognizing the collective efforts to save lives by reducing vaccine-preventable diseases, and calling on countries to increase investments in immunization programs to protect future generations. It also emphasizes the urgent need to achieve high and equitable vaccination coverage in all communities to prevent outbreaks of these diseases now and in the future.

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