Think twice if you are over 65 and are offered a vaccine to prevent pneumonia.These vaccinations are soon to be halted by the UK government, on the grounds that the injections are not effective enough and do not save lives.The pneumonia vaccine for people over 65 is called Pneumovax, and it is a pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine which is said to work against 23 common types of pneumococcal organisms.
Millions of people were injected with the vaccine, which was supposed to offer ten-year protection against an infection that causes pneumonia. But independent experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the UK Government, say the program has had 'no discernible impact' on rates of pneumococcal disease. According to the Daily Mail:
"... [T]he protection provided by the vaccine is poor and not long-lasting in older people."
Pneumonia jabs for the over-65s are to be scrapped by the Government because they do not save lives.
Millions of pensioners have been vaccinated with a one-off jab that was supposed to give ten-year protection against an infection that causes pneumonia.
But independent experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government, claim it has had ‘no discernible impact’ on rates of pneumococcal disease.It said the protection provided by the vaccine is poor and not long- lasting in older people.It has told the Government’s director of immunisation, Professor David Salisbury, there is little benefit in continuing the programme and it should be stopped.
However, the jab should still be given to children and people with risk factors such as respiratory and heart disease as the evidence is more ‘robust’, says the JCVI.The jab for older people has been linked to 30 deaths and more than 3,300 reported side effects, including heart disorders and joint and muscle pain, according to official figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
The jab is meant to work against 23 common types of pneumococcal disease bugs but there has been mounting evidence it does not cut the risk of pneumonia in over-65s.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1392594/Pneumonia-jabs-pensioners-scrapped-dont-work.html#ixzz1QRAfUkk3
