# Presentation: 511478

## January 25, 2005

- Strengthening Adult Immunization:Policy Recommendations

- National Vaccine Advisory Committee Workshop on Strengthening the Supply of Vaccines in the U.S.

- John M. Clymer President

## Key Points

- Partnership for PreventionTM will issue in February 2005 a Call to Action to strengthen national Adult Immunization Policy
- Objective: Close gaps between adult immunization goals *(Healthy People 2010)* and actual rates
- Partnership aims to stimulate demand, to pull supply up
- Reaching U.S. immunization goals requires changes to supply and demand.
- Partnership is focusing on demand, where it has expertise and credibility.
- While not focused solely on influenza, this effort seeks to capitalize on current concerns about influenza vaccine supply
- A diverse expert panel will review potential policy recommendations and choose those that are most likely to move the needle and most feasible

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Increase Demand  Strengthen Supply

- Unstable demand deters capital investment and production
- Greater and more stable demand makes market more attractive to new entrants, increases incentives to produce vaccine
*"It's an open question as to what the fundamental underlying demand will be.  Companies want to be reasonably sure of selling this stuff. How can you calculate what to do?"*
- 				Vaccine industry analyst quoted in Washington Post 1/25/05

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Charge

- “The nation benefits from a well developed set of effective childhood immunization policies.  This stands in sharp contrast to the paucity of adult immunization policy.  This policy gap is at least partly to blame for adult immunization rates that persistently fall below national targets and for disparities related to immunization.”
- “It will be helpful to policy makers to have guidance from multiple sectors and disciplines on gaps in adult immunization policy, priorities among the gaps, and evidence-based recommendations to fill them.”

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Target Audiences

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

**Notes:**
We recognize that reaching Healthy People 2010  goals will require action by not just Federal policy makers but also changes to the health care system.  But we have a brief window of heightened opportunity for policy action created by this season’s  influenza vaccine supply and distribution problems and Washington’s desire to do something about it.

While Partnership is capitalizing on the opportunity brought about by influenza, we are addressing adult immunization in full, not for a particular disease.

## Expert Panel

- Hugh Tilson, *Chair*
- Hon. Dale Bumpers			Pauline Lapin
- Ronald Davis				Wayne Lednar
- Ian Dixon				David Neumann
- Jonathan Fielding			Gary Noble
- David Fleming				Walter Orenstein
- Lynda Flowers				Sara Rosenbaum
- Chris Grant				L.J. Tan
- Jody Hershey				Alan Hinman

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Experts Consulted

- Stephen Cochi			Tom Vernon
- David Fleming				Marty Wasserman
- Clair Hannan				Deborah Wexler
- Michael McGinnis
- Lance Rodewald
- William Schaffner
- Reed Tuckson

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Development of Recommendations

- Comprehensive literature review to identify policy recommendations
- Focus on policies that are evidence-based or that would support evidence-based interventions
- Interviews with experts from multiple sectors with interests in immunization policy
- Identify a set of policies
- Proven to be effective, or
- Promising and worth testing, AND
- Politically feasible
- ACTIONABLE

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Potential Recommendations

- Reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs, esp. for uninsured
- Demonstration project
- Bring Federal employee benefits in line with ACIP recommendations
- Tax credits to encourage employers to cover immunizations
- Reduce providers’ financial risks
- Increase medical professionals’ immunization rates

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005

## Implementation Strategy

- Build anticipation in Congress
- Release February
- Congressional hearings and/or briefings
- Disseminate through organizations, agencies and companies interested in achieving national immunization goals
- Build momentum through endorsements, advocacy
- Earned media generated by release, endorsement announcements, legislative activity, potential news

- Adult Immunization Policy  -- January 25, 2005