Words by GOLD newsdesk
GSK has raised concerns over routine vaccination rates after a follow-up claims analysis revealed a persistent and sometimes steep decline in the number of vaccinations being administered in the US since the start of the pandemic.
Monthly vaccine claims for vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were found to have decreased by an average of 32% for adults and 36% for teenagers between January 2020 and July 2021, when compared to the same months in 2019 (e.g. comparing June 2019 to June 2021).
Findings also revealed that adults and teenagers may have missed an estimated 37.1 million doses of recommended vaccines compared to 2019.
The follow-up analysis, conducted by Avalere and commissioned by GSK, follows two previous reports from February and June 2021, which tracked the pandemic’s impact on routine vaccination.
“In the US the pandemic has elevated the value, impact and understanding of vaccines in helping to prevent disease and death, especially in the adult and older adult populations,” said Judy Stewart, GSK Senior Vice President and Head of US Vaccines. “We must not lose sight of the longstanding recommendations for routine vaccines across all age groups that are often underutilised, leading to significant medical, economic and societal costs that could otherwise be prevented by timely vaccination.”