Dr Jennifer Harris
Head of Research Policy, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)
Vaccines have been thrust into the spotlight like never before during the pandemic. Suddenly, we are all talking about them – how they are created, how they are tested and when the rollout came, which one we had.
The focus during this pandemic is on vaccines for one disease, COVID19, understandably so. But the UK’s vaccination programme includes free vaccination against 21 infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
The programme as a whole saves untold lives and NHS resources beyond COVID every day and we should never forget its value, which has been demonstrated over many years.
Implementation of a national programme
In 1941 in England, there were 50,804 cases of diphtheria. Vaccination was introduced in 1942 and has continued ever since, now given as part of the childhood immunisation programme. In 2019 in England, there were only 10 cases reported.
In 1956 in England, there were 92,410 cases of whooping cough, a disease which can be dangerous for young babies. Vaccination was introduced in 1957, and in 2019 there were 3,994 cases – not perfect, but a huge improvement.
Vaccination has prevented more serious diseases than any other advance in recent medical history, helping to reduce the burden on the NHS and ultimately saving many lives.
The value of vaccines continues to be demonstrated today. Take the shingles vaccine for older people. In the first five years of the shingles vaccine programme, there were 49,000 fewer GP visits, 1,800 fewer hospitalisations for shingles and its complications, that saved the NHS an estimated £10.5 million.
A study published in the Lancet recently reminded us all of the importance of the HPV vaccine. It showed that HPV vaccination is cutting cases of cervical cancer by nearly 90%. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women around the world, killing more than 300,000 globally each year. This study demonstrates that the vaccine is clearly saving women’s lives.
Most successful medical advancement
Vaccination has prevented more serious diseases than any other advance in recent medical history, helping to reduce the burden on the NHS and ultimately saving many lives.
Today, the COVID-19 vaccine programme remains an essential tool in our armoury against SARS-COV-2.
As you get your COVID-19 booster or flu vaccination this winter, don’t forget that in addition to helping us fight this pandemic, researchers around the world are also developing vaccines to help fight as many diseases as possible, to help save lives around the world.
