Adult Vaccine Landscape in APAC: The Need for Change

Content for this article was contributed by EVERSANA’s Asia Pacific team. 

Do Adults Need Vaccines? 

Immunization should not end with adulthood. Using immunization to prevent infection should be a life-long process, as adult vaccination provides benefits at both individual and country levels, reducing the overall burden of preventable diseases. However, in practice, adult vaccinations are underused. Adult vaccines prevent losses in productivity and help maintain socio-economic stability, essential in developing countries. Higher immunization rates through adult vaccination also help to create herd immunity. 

Adult Immunization: A Neglected Issue in the Asia Pacific Region 

Immunization policies in APAC are primarily directed at vaccinating infants and children. This focus overlooks the importance of adult immunization, neglecting and under-publicizing it in the region. Inadequate immunization results in substantial and unnecessary costs, in hospitalization and treatment as well as lost income.  

There are several barriers to vaccination in APAC: 

• Geography/logistics 
• Lack of vaccine awareness and education  
• Perceived lack of vaccine effectiveness, and belief that a disease is not severe 
• Vaccine reaction/safety concerns 
• Omission of certain groups within national guidelines or lack of national guidelines 
• Lack of national funding or reimbursement 

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