Global/National Policy Updates
01
China’s first expert consensus on vaccination for adults with rheumatic immune diseases issued
The “Chinese Expert Consensus on Vaccination for Adults with Rheumatic Immunity Diseases” (2023 Edition) was officially published in the Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine. The “Consensus” includes eight commonly used vaccines for adults, such as the influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, novel coronavirus vaccine, herpes zoster vaccine, and human papillomavirus vaccine. Recommendations for vaccination populations include vaccine types, timing of vaccination, immunization regimens, and medication adjustments, providing operable technical guidelines for the majority of vaccinators and rheumatologists, along with promoting standardized vaccination and infection prevention and treatment of Chinese adult patients with rheumatic immune diseases.
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4WJjjvvgdfBy4J0qzOrvKA
02
Merck Sharp & Dohme’s nine-valent HPV vaccine two-dose vaccination regimen for females aged 9 to 14 years approved
Merck Sharp & Dohme’s nine-valent human papillomavirus vaccine (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ——Gardasil®9—— has received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for its two-dose vaccination program (0, 6~12 months) for females aged 9~14 years old. This implies that Gardasil®9 will be added to the two-dose vaccination regimen for ages 9~14 years, in addition to the current three-dose vaccination schedule for ages 9~45 years, protecting more women against cervical cancer and lesions caused by HPV infections.
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/zVKkJDu3AK60tMFzn2y2NQ
03
More than US$ 1.8 billion in support for African vaccine manufacturing, catching up missed children and pandemic preparedness approved as Gavi Board steps up efforts to tackle backsliding and fight health emergencies
The Board of Directors of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) approved the establishment of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Acceleration Initiative (AVMA), which will invest up to $1 billion to support vaccine production in Africa. Furthermore, a First Response Fund will be made to finance “catch-up” efforts to bridge vaccination gaps brought on by previous pandemics, guaranteeing immediate funding for vaccine response in the case of a future pandemic.
https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/initiatives-african-vaccine-manufacturing-approved-gavi-board
Journal Content Recommendation
04
Improving the adult vaccination system and enhancing the quality of life-course immunization services
The adult vaccination system’s standing in China’s lifespan immunization programs is gaining increasing attention, becoming more and more prominent. The research findings of Li Juan, Cao Yanlin, Suo Luodan, Wu Jiang, and Feng Lusao were recently published in the Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine, which reviewed the current state of the adult vaccination system in China, introducing the achievements, experiences, and modes of exploring the construction of the adult vaccination system in a few provinces and municipalities. The article concludes that China should continue to enhance adult vaccine safeguarding, scientifically plan out the adult vaccination network, and optimize the adult vaccination service model to raise the quality of whole-life immunization services.
https://rs.yiigle.com/cmaid/1488283
05
Recombinant or standard-dose influenza vaccine in adults under 65 years of age
NEJM published online a whole-cluster randomized observational study concerning routine vaccination with high-dose recombinant influenza vaccine or one of two standard-dose influenza vaccines among adults aged 50-64 years (primary age) and 18-49 years (secondary age) during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 influenza seasons. According to the findings, adults aged 50-64 were better protected against PCR-based confirmed influenza with the high-dose recombinant vaccine than an egg-based standard-dose vaccine.
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2302099
06
Efficacy and safety of an mRNA-Based RSV PreF vaccine in older adults
The NEJM published a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2-3 trial in which adults aged 60 years and older were randomized to receive either a single dose of RSV pre-fusion F protein vaccine (RSV PreF)-mRNA-1345 (50 μg)-or placebo. The results found that a single dose of the mRNA-1345 vaccine resulted in “no evident safety concerns”, leading to a
“lower incidence of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease and of RSV-associated acute respiratory disease than placebo among adults 60 years of age or older.”
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2307079
07
Understanding the health system barriers and enablers to childhood MMR and HPV vaccination among disadvantaged, minority or underserved populations in middle- and high-income countries: a systematic review
Through a systematic review, the paper aims to understand health system barriers and enablers to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and human papillomavirus (HPV) childhood vaccinations for disadvantaged, minority, or underserved populations in high- and middle-income countries. According to the report, officials need to consider the health system barriers to vaccinating vulnerable, minority populations, while also recognizing the specific cultural context of each group. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach to encourage vaccination, strategies should be “tailored to the unique population’s needs” to ensure maximum policy impact.
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckad232
08
Missed opportunities: reducing zero dose children among the urban poor after COVID, Mumbai India, 2022
This paper analyzes the profile of 125 zero-dose mobile children in October 2022 in urban Mumbai who had not received the first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTPCV1). The results showed that almost half of the children were not born in Mumbai; more than half were 12–59 months of age, which was “well-beyond the age for first routine childhood immunizations”; and three of four zero-dose children had a hospital-birth vaccination but did not receive a DTPCV1 vaccination afterward. Common causes of non-vaccination included Vaccine hesitancy, awareness gaps, and operational issues. To ensure vaccine equity, efforts are still needed to reach impoverished urban migrant children.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.11.027
09
The relative effectiveness of three and four doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Victoria, Australia: A data linkage study
According to a study based on data from Victoria, Australia, published online by Vaccine, third and fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in older adults 65 years and older compared to receiving two doses of the vaccine. Within two weeks of vaccination, the relative effectiveness peaked at 40% (third dosage) and 66% (fourth dose), however, additional protection conferred by the third and fourth doses “waned over time from administration.” The findings underscore the need for additional vaccine doses and updated vaccine strategies, and the need for real-world data to be used when further monitoring vaccine effectiveness.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.11.047
Content Editor: Linjing(Grace) Zhang
Page Editor: Ziqi Liu
