accines Europe is an association based in Brussels that represents the vaccine developers operating in the EU. Vaccines are really contributing to the wellbeing of the economy, and of course to the quality of life and good health of our citizens. When we speak about the respiratory infections, they pose a very significant economic and healthcare burden both in pediatric and the adult populations.

To give you a few numbers,  seasonal influenza (flu) that we have every year, it’s up to 50 million symptomatic cases and roughly between 15 and 17,000 deaths in the EU every year. The vaccination against influenza can save between roughly €250 million and €330 million in healthcare costs by avoiding hospitalizations, as well as saving bits for other treatments or for other indications and visits to the general practitioners.

“Respiratory infections pose a very significant economic and healthcare burden both in pediatric and the adult populations.”

But of course, in the respiratory mix, there is also COVID-19 and RSV. Right now we have upcoming vaccines for RSV, as you know. We have already vaccines available in some countries and it’s coming in other countries. The burden of RSV is also quite significant. There is an average of more than 200,000 annual hospitalizations for RSV in children under five years. And also there is more than one 160,000 annual hospitalizations for adults in the EU, Norway and the UK.

Laurent Louette. Director of Public Affairs & Country Liaison at Vaccines Europe

“We do have the tools to protect the population against those viruses, those infections, and definitely- we need to work together, with the patients, with the citizens, with also, of course with the governments to see how we can make those vaccines accessible and available to the whole EU.”

Every year we actually analyze the pipeline of our members and to actually have a look at what is coming in terms of new vaccines, in terms of innovation and roughly there is from all members approx. 100 vaccine candidates. Actually, at the moment of those vaccines in the pipeline, 63 are targeting respiratory disease. So it’s quite a number. It’s definitely probably the biggest focus we have right now in vaccine innovation for many reasons, but mostly for the reasons I have just given you, is that the burden of those diseases is quite heavy and because of COVID-19, we have indeed seen as a clear „reminder“ to the world that indeed, those viruses that are airborne are definitely quite aggressive and that no one can really be let’s say complacent vis a vis those vaccines, those disease and that vaccines can really play a crucial role here.

To conclude with a very positive note, we do have the tools to protect the population against those viruses, those infections, and definitely- we need to work together, with the patients, with the citizens, with also, of course with the governments to see how we can make those vaccines accessible and available to the whole EU.