Pneumococcal Vaccination in Older Adults An Update for Pharmacists

For nearly 50 years, vaccination of high-risk individuals has led to a decrease in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal diseases, such as bacteremia and meningitis. However, for older adult populations, PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23) has not demonstrated consistent protection against pneumococcal pneumonia in clinical trials. Based on recent data from the CAPiTA trial showing both decreased episodes of community acquired pneumonia and a reduction of invasive pneumococcal disease, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently updated the vaccination schedule to include both PPSV23 and PCV13 (Prevnar 13) for those aged >= 65 years.