- Influenza has a significant human and economic impact due to
the burden of illness and high number of hospitalizations. With the
majority of these in seniors,i the impact on them and
their families can be profound.
TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2018 /CNW/ - Today, Sanofi
Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi, marks National Seniors Day
with an attempt to set a world record using tissue box dominoes to
show that for seniors, seasonal influenza needs more than just
tissues. Influenza, often seen as just a cold, is estimated to be
responsible for an average of 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500
deaths annually in Canada,ii with seniors accounting
for 67 per cent of hospitalizations and 84 per cent of
deaths.iii Influenza is the seventh leading cause
of death in Canada amongst
vaccine-preventable diseases.iv
To bring to life the domino effect of the flu on seniors, and
ultimately, their families and communities, Sanofi Pasteur is
attempting a Guinness World Record and unveiling a photo exhibition
that documents a father and son's journey with the flu at the
Richmond-Adelaide Centre, in downtown Toronto.
Due to weakening immune systems,v adults 65 and older
have lower responses to infections, greater susceptibility to the
flu,vi and are at high risk for complications or
hospitalization if they get the flu.vii When it comes to
vaccination, older adults may not respond as well to a standard
dose vaccine compared to younger adults.viii Data shows
that Fluzone High-Dose®, which contains four times the
amount of antigen compared to a standard dose vaccine, is 24 per
cent more effective in protecting seniors from seasonal
influenza.ix,x,xi
"Seniors have contributed so
much to the society in which we live in today, it's important that
we take time to recognize their past and ongoing contributions on
National Seniors Day and ensure that they are well cared for in
their later years," says Anthony
Quinn, Director, Community Affairs at CARP (Canadian
Association of Retired Persons). "Contracting the flu can
dramatically change a senior's quality of life – a stay in the
hospital can reduce their mobility and independence and those
effects can be long-lasting. CARP is encouraging all seniors across
Ontario to protect themselves from
the flu this season by taking advantage of the new vaccine
available for the 65-plus."
In its 2018-2019 influenza recommendations, the National
Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), concluded that the
higher dose flu vaccine provides superior protection compared to
standard dose flu shot, and should be offered to adults 65 years of
age and older.xii
"Many seniors are living with
chronic conditions – in fact, almost three quarters of seniors have
at least one chronic condition.xiii Influenza can worsen
these, like diabetes or kidney disease and trigger other conditions
such as stroke or heart attack,"xiv says Dr.
William Dalziel, Professor of
Geriatric Medicine, University of
Ottawa. "That's why it's so crucial to protect seniors from
the flu. Studies show the higher dose vaccine could help reduce
infections and hospitalizations among
seniors."xv
FLUZONE® High-Dose in Canada
Currently, Ontario is the only
province to offer the higher dose vaccine free of charge to all
adults 65 years of age and older,xvi while Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island offer the vaccine to
those in long-term care facilities.
About FLUZONE® High-Dose Vaccine
FLUZONE® High-Dose is a trivalent vaccine that
contains four times the amount of hemagglutinin (HA) per strain as
compared to a standard dose vaccine. FLUZONE® High-Dose
is indicated for active immunization against influenza caused by
the specific strains of influenza virus contained in the vaccine in
adults 65 years of age and older. It is administered as a single
0.5 mL injection by the intramuscular route. Higher rates of some
injection-site and systemic reactions were observed among
recipients of the high-dose vaccine compared to standard-dose
vaccine, but most reactions were mild and resolved within three
days.xvii,xviii
For more information about FLUZONE® High-Dose
Influenza Vaccine, please visit: www.fluhd.ca
About Sanofi
Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health
challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on
human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative
treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few
who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term
chronic conditions.
With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is
transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around
the globe.
Sanofi, Empowering Life
References:
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i
Government of Canada. FluWatch. March 11-17, 2018. Retrieved from:
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/fluwatch/2017-2018/week11-march-11-march-17-2018/pub-eng.pdf.
|
ii
Schanzer, D.L., Sevenhuysen, C., Winchester, B., & Mersereau,
T. (2013). Estimating influenza deaths in Canada,
|
1992-2009. PloS
ONE, 8(11), e80481.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0080481.
|
iii
Government of Canada. FluWatch. March 11-17, 2018. Retrieved from:
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/fluwatch/2017-2018/week11-march-11-march-17-2018/pub-eng.pdf.
|
iv
Statistics Canada. (2017). The 10 leading causes of death,
2013. Retrieved from:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2017001/article/14776-eng.htm.
|
v Haq, K.,
McElhaney, J. E. (2014). Immunosenescence: Influenza vaccination
and the elderly. Curr Opin Immunol, 29,38-42.
|
vi Monto
A.S., Ansaldi, F., McElhaney, J.E., Montano, L.F., Nichol, K.L.,
Puig-Barbera, J.,Stephenson, I. (2009). Influenza control in the
21st century: Optimizing protection of older adults.
Vaccine, 27, 5043-5053.
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vii
National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). (2017). An
Advisory Committee Statement (ACS): Canadian Immunization Guide
Chapter on Influenza and Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
for 2018–2019. Public Health Agency Of Canada.
|
viii
McElhaney, J.E., et al. (2016). T-Cell Immunity to Influenza in
Older Adults: A Pathophysiological Framework for Development of
More Effective Vaccines. Frontiers in Immunology, 7(41),
1-11.
|
ix
DiazGranados, C.A. et al. (2014). Efficacy of high-dose versus
standard-dose influenza vaccine in older adults. The New England
Journal of Medicine 371, 635-645.
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x Product
Monograph: FLUZONE® High-Dose Influenza Virus Vaccine Trivalent
Types A and B (Split Virion). Sanofi Pasteur. Approved May
2016.
|
xi Public
Health Agency of Canada (2016). An Advisory Committee Statement
(ACS) National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Canadian
Immunization Guide Chapter on Influenza and Statement on Seasonal
Influenza Vaccine for 2016-2017. Retrieved from:
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/naci-ccni/flu-2016-grippe-eng.php.
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xii
National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). (2017). An
Advisory Committee Statement (ACS): Canadian Immunization Guide
Chapter on Influenza and Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
for 2018–2019. Public Health Agency Of Canada.
|
xiii
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Seniors and the
Health Care System. Analysis. January 2011.
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xiv Wang,
C., et al. (2007). Impact of influenza vaccination on major
cause-specific mortality. Vaccine, 25(7), 1196-1203.
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xv Becker
et al. High-dose inactivated influenza vaccine is associated with
cost savings and better outcomes compared to standard-dose
inactivated influenza vaccine in Canadian seniors. Human Vaccines
& Immunotherapeutics. 2016, VOL. 12, NO. 12,
3036–3042.
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xvi
Government of Ontario. Ontario Supporting Seniors to Live Their
Best Life. Retrieved from:
https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2017/11/ontario-supporting-seniors-to-live-their-best-life-1.html?utm_source=ondemand&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p.
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xvii
Product Monograph: FLUZONE® High-Dose Influenza Virus Vaccine
Trivalent Types A and B (Split Virion). Sanofi Pasteur.
Approved May 2016.
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xviii
Public Health Agency of Canada (2016). An Advisory Committee
Statement (ACS) National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI):
Canadian Immunization Guide Chapter on Influenza and Interim
Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2016-2017.
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SOURCE Sanofi