GSK Returns to CIIE: Focusing on 'Deepening Integration of Medical Care and Prevention, Building a Healthy China'

China Finance and Economics News, November 7th: Yesterday, GlaxoSmithKline ("GSK") attended the CIIE again with its key vaccine products, covering disease areas such as shingles and cervical cancer, and hosted a media roundtable event themed "Deepening the Integration of Medical Treatment and Prevention, Building a Healthy China Together."

"The CIIE provides an international platform for dialogue and exchange to jointly build a 'medical-prevention integration' health ecosystem and share a healthy future. As a global leading biopharmaceutical company, GSK has a century-long heritage in vaccine research and development. We always remember our commitment to 'rooting in China, partnering with China, and serving China.' Focusing on innovation, we continue to deepen our presence in the Chinese market alongside local partners, enhancing vaccine accessibility, and providing lifelong health protection for the public," said Eddie Li, Vice President and Head of GSK China Vaccines. Benefiting from the spillover effects of the CIIE, many of GSK's vaccine products have accelerated their commercialization in China. In the future, GSK will continue to advance vaccine innovation, support the implementation of innovative vaccine prescription models, put 'medical-prevention integration, prevention first' into practice, bring more positive health impact to the Chinese public, and contribute to advancing the Healthy China Initiative.

With the continuous development of public health in China, under the current background of an aging society, improving grassroots disease prevention and control as well as health management capabilities has drawn significant attention. This also presents new demands for innovation in the integration model of medical and preventive services. Associate Professor Lu Yihan from Fudan University's School of Public Health stated that this year marks the fifth anniversary of the Healthy China Action, and building a robust public health system has been placed at a high strategic level. "At present, Chinese adults are doubly threatened by chronic diseases and various infectious diseases. Vaccination against influenza, herpes zoster, and human papillomavirus (HPV) can help patients prevent related diseases early and provide lifelong health protection for the public. However, there is still a need for scientific guidance on Chinese adults' awareness and actions regarding vaccine-preventable diseases. How to deepen medical and preventive collaboration and integration to help them build a health barrier has become an important focus of reform in the public health system, shifting from being disease-centered to health-centered."

Data shows that about 190 million elderly people in China suffer from chronic diseases. As age increases, the immune function of middle-aged and elderly people declines, leaving them with lower resistance to diseases. They often have chronic conditions simultaneously, which raises the risk of contracting infectious diseases (such as influenza, pneumonia, and shingles), making their health status concerning. Taking shingles as an example, people with chronic diseases are closer to shingles. Compared with the general population, patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face a 26-41% higher risk of developing shingles. "‘Sweetness can sometimes be a burden.’ As one of the four major types of chronic diseases severely affecting the health of Chinese residents, people with diabetes are more prone to shingles, with a 26% higher risk compared to the general population. Diabetic patients who develop shingles are at increased risk of postherpetic neuralgia, which tends to be more severe and prolonged." Dr. Zou Dajin, Chief Physician at Tongren Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, warned that once shingles occurs, it can also affect blood sugar control, increasing the difficulty of diabetes management. Therefore, people with diabetes should be especially vigilant against shingles, actively manage their blood sugar levels, and take preventive measures to reduce the risk of comorbidities.

Herpes Zoster (commonly known as:缠腰龙, snake缠腰, 生蛇, etc.) is an infectious skin disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Over 90% of adults have this virus latent in their bodies, and about one-third of people will suffer from herpes zoster in their lifetime. Age is the most important risk factor for herpes zoster. People over 50 are the susceptible population, and the risk of developing herpes zoster increases sharply after the age of 50 for middle-aged and elderly people. In China, approximately 1.56 million new cases of herpes zoster occur annually among those aged 50 and above.

Director of the Pain Department at Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Zheng Yongjun, stated that the middle-aged and elderly population, with a decline in immunity, face a higher risk of developing shingles. After contracting shingles, it may lead to severe and long-lasting postherpetic neuralgia. Especially for those with chronic illnesses, once shingles is superimposed, it can more easily result in "pain upon pain," with an unimaginable intensity of suffering. Therefore, middle-aged and elderly individuals with chronic conditions need to understand that, aside from enhancing their basic immunity, vaccination is also an effective way to prevent shingles, actively preventing the condition to avoid the distress of pain.

According to reports, in order to further enhance the convenience of adult vaccination and patient accessibility, 13 provinces/municipalities including Shanghai, Guangdong, Hubei, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Chongqing have actively explored medical prevention integration models with local characteristics. Pilot programs have been launched where "general practitioners issue adult vaccine prescriptions/health prescriptions."

Sheng Fei, Director of the Community Health Service Center of Nanxiang Town, Jiading District, Shanghai, said that as an important part of accessing nearby medical care, grassroots healthcare institutions are the best places to practice the integration of medical treatment and disease prevention. They also play a key role in helping adults, especially middle-aged and elderly people, strengthen disease prevention and improve their sense of health. "Through education and recommendations, an increasing number of middle-aged and elderly people are willing to prevent diseases by getting vaccinated against shingles, influenza, and other conditions. Additionally, we have noticed that more women of appropriate age are becoming aware of their own health and are proactively seeking HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening services at hospitals. Women of the right age should flexibly choose and get HPV vaccines as early as possible based on vaccine availability, cancer prevention effectiveness, and their personal circumstances—the earlier they are vaccinated, the sooner they benefit."