Preventing pneumonia in the elderly

MANILA, Philippines - Results of a landmark clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of Pfizer’s pneumococcal vaccine confirm that it can prevent community-acquired pneumonia in adults aged 65 and above.

Pfizer recently announced the findings of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Immunization Trial in Adults study involving approximately 85,000 subjects — one of the latest drug trials ever conducted. The study also found that the vaccine prevented invasive pneumococcal disease in adults.

Community-acquired pneumonia, the most common type of pneumonia, is a major public health concern and a significant cause of hospitalization and death in adults around the world.

In the Philippines, data from the Department of Health show that pneumonia has consistently figured in the top 5 leading causes of mortality among adults — an average ranking of fourth in the past 10 years.

In addition, the DOH points to an increasing concern for the healthcare needs of a growing elderly sector in the country. The number of Filipinos 60 years or older was pegged at 3.7 million in 1995, representing 5.4 percent of the total population. By 2000, this figure has increased to around 4.8 million or almost six percent of the total population.

Despite the success of the trial, “there is still more work to be done,” says Albert Bourla, Pfizer group president of vaccines, oncology, and consumer healthcare. “Today’s news is another step forward, delivering on our purpose to significantly improve people’s lives.”