Silver Book

Silver Book Fact

Flu vaccine use reduces disease burden

Use of the LAIV (live attenuated influenza virus) in healthy adults ages 18 to 64 reduced febrile illness by 19% and upper respiratory tract illnesses by 24%. It also reduced the days of illness by 23% to 27% depending on severity of illness, lost work days by 18% to 28%, and days with visits to health care professionals by 25% to 41%.

Nichol, Kristin L., April Lind, Karen L. Margolis, Maureen Murdoch, Rodney McFadden, et al. The Effectiveness of Vaccination Against Influenza in Healthy, Working Adults. NEJM. 1995; 333(14): 889-93. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199510053331401

Reference

Title
The Effectiveness of Vaccination Against Influenza in Healthy, Working Adults
Publication
NEJM
Publication Date
1995
Authors
Nichol, Kristin L., April Lind, Karen L. Margolis, Maureen Murdoch, Rodney McFadden, et al.
Volume & Issue
Volume 333, Issue 14
Pages
889-93
URL
Read Full Resource

Categories

  • Innovative Medical Research
  • Human Value

Related Facts

  • Vaccines cost ~$50 per healthy life year saved
    Most vaccinations cost less than $50 per healthy life year saved. In contrast, treating hypertension costs between $4,340 and $87,940 per healthy life year saved.  
  • Eradication of smallpox has saved 40 million lives worldwide
    Since global vaccination efforts wiped out smallpox disease in 1979, infections in 350 million people have been prevented and 40 million lives have been saved.  
  • Over 6 years, flu vaccine prevented ~13 million cases
    Over a 6-year period (2005 – 2011), the influenza vaccine prevented an estimated 13 million influenza cases–between 1.1 million and 5 million annually.  
  • Value of smallpox eradication
    An estimated $100 million spent in eradicating smallpox from 1967 to 1977 saved the world around $1.35 billion a year.  
  • Effectiveness of pneumonia vaccine
    PPSV23 (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine) protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria and is 60% to 80% effective in preventing pneumococcal bacteremia in adults over the age of 65 who are…