Should Elderly Patients with Chronic Diseases Get Vaccinated? GSK Explores New Frontiers in Immune Prevention

The STAR Market Daily, November 7th, by reporter Xu HongMany families have such concerns: If there are elderly people with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension at home, should they get vaccinated? Can they get vaccinated? Will the vaccination really be effective?

The answer to this question is actually very clear.

During this year's CIIE, GSK held a roundtable discussion themed "Three Highs and One Rash: Exploring New Frontiers in Medical-Preventive Collaboration." Zou Dajin, Chief Physician of the Endocrinology Department at Shanghai Tongren Hospital and Honorary Chairman of the Shanghai Medical Association's Diabetes Society, reminded the audience: "Diabetes patients are a high-risk group for shingles."

Data show that, compared with ordinary people,Patients with diabetes have a 60% higher risk of developing shingles, and once infected, they are more likely to experience postherpetic neuralgia, with more severe pain that lasts longer.。”

Not only patients with diabetes, but also those with other chronic diseases such as hypertension are in the same situation. Due to relatively weaker immune function, they are more prone to co-infections with infectious diseases like herpes zoster, influenza, or pneumonia, and these infections can further exacerbate the condition of their existing chronic diseases, creating a vicious cycle.

Zhang Yi, Director of the Department of Scientific Research and Director of the Hypertension Center/Pan-Vascular Center at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, pointed out: "For patients with cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases such as shingles are hidden health risks. These patients often suffer from relatively weak immune functions, making them more susceptible to the 'double blow' of infection."

Public information shows that herpes zoster (commonly known as "缠腰龙", "蛇缠腰", "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 develop herpes zoster in their lifetime. Age is the most important risk factor for herpes zoster, with those over 50 being the susceptible population.

The study showed,Patients with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary heart disease have a 39% higher risk of developing shingles than the general population. Additionally, shingles patients face a 68% increased risk of heart attack and a 78% increased risk of cerebral hemorrhage and stroke in the short term.。

Therefore, in the view of Sun Xiaodong, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the connotation and boundaries of "immune prevention" urgently need to be expanded.Its coverage should be extended to key high-risk groups such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.。

"This also sets higher requirements for our disease control work. In the future, we need to consider incorporating more high-risk factors, such as infectious diseases like shingles, into the overall chronic disease prevention and treatment system, promoting the deep integration of immunization and chronic disease management, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of public health," Sun Xiaodong added.

GSK China Vaccine Medical Director and Cloud Crane further reminded,People with chronic diseases are not only not contraindicated for vaccination, but they should also place greater emphasis on the protective value of vaccines for health.He suggested that middle-aged and elderly people, especially those with "three highs," can get vaccinated during periods of stable condition to reduce the risk of herpes zoster infection. They should consult a doctor before vaccination to ensure scientific protection.

With the continuous advancement of modern medicine, the boundaries between traditional clinical diagnosis and treatment and disease prevention are gradually blurring and constantly expanding. For patients with chronic diseases, health management is not only about controlling blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar but also focusing on maintaining immunity, making "prevention" truly a part of "treatment." This concept,This is also highly consistent with the "Medical-Prevention Integration" strategy strongly promoted at the national level.

"Integration of Medical Treatment and Prevention" emphasizes that clinicians incorporate preventive concepts and measures into medical services during the diagnosis and treatment process, achieving an organic combination of "treating diseases" and "preventing diseases," thereby minimizing the occurrence of health risks to the greatest extent.

For this reason,An increasing number of regions have begun to introduce "vaccine prescriptions," where general practitioners recommend suitable vaccines for individuals based on their health conditions, shifting from a passive vaccination service to a more proactive approach.。

A GSK-related official told a reporter from the STAR Market Daily that, driven by the dual forces of the "integration of medical treatment and prevention" policy guidance and innovative practices such as "vaccine prescriptions," the integration of prevention into treatment is gradually becoming the new norm in health management, from individuals to clinical settings. At this year's CIIE, GSK will focus on two core areas: product innovation and health education.Further Promote "Medical-Prevention Synergy" from Concept to Implementation。

At the product innovation level, GSK's "CIIE Baby" Shingrix was just approved in October this year to expand its indications,For the prevention of herpes zoster in adults aged 18 years and older who are at increased risk of herpes zoster due to immunodeficiency or immunosuppression caused by known diseases or treatments (e.g., autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation).This is the first and currently the only shingles vaccine approved by the NMPA for this population, marking a further expansion of its eligible population from previously being limited to adults aged 50 and above.