IFA and ILC-UK joint statement on proposed changes to UK childhood pneumococcal immunisation programme

In October 2017, the British Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) proposed that childhood vaccination for pneumococcal disease be moved from a 2+1 schedule (two initial doses and a follow-up dose) to a 1+1 schedule (one initial dose and a follow-up).

As the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) and the International Longevity Centre – UK (ILC-UK) are both organizations dedicated to the wellbeing of the global ageing population, and having both conducted significant work on the burden of pneumococcal disease across the lifecourse, there is concern that – per the JCVI’s reports – “moving to a 1+1 schedule might increase IPD cases in infants because of loss of direct protection, and in older adults because of a reduction in herd immunity as a result of less protection against carriage in infants after a single dose.”

Given the potential risks of this decision, the IFA and the ILC-UK urge a more comprehensive consultation on proposed changes to the pneumococcal immunisation programme. IFA’s Secretary General, Dr Jane Barratt, and ILC-UK’s Director, David Sinclair have released a joint statement on the proposed recommendations from JCVI.

Click here to read the full statement.