Vaccine effectiveness in pandemic influenza - primary care reporting (VIPER): an observational study to assess the effectiveness of the pandemic influenza A (H1N1)v vaccine

Simpson CR, Ritchie LD, Robertson C, Sheikh A, McMenamin J
Record ID 32010000830
English
Authors' recommendations: Evidence from swabs submitted from patients in the cohort presenting with influenza-like illness in general practice suggests that the introduction of influenza A (H1N1)v vaccine in Scotland during 2009 was associated with a high degree of protection against influenza A (H1N1)v. In addition, receipt of influenza A (H1N1)v vaccine was associated with a reduction in both admission for cardiac-related conditions and for the combined category of influenza, pneumonia, COPD and cardiac conditions. Policy-makers ought to be encouraged that the VE estimates obtained are comparable to those found for seasonal influenza. Additionally, as the first large-scale demonstration of effectiveness in a UK population, these interim results should help strengthen the evidence base for health-care practitioners involved in distributing influenza A (H1N1)v vaccine in other countries, now that the phased roll-out has been completed in the UK. Influenza A (H1N1)v immunisation in the primary health care setting is both effective and widely acceptable, as evidenced by high uptake rates, and should continue to be a mainstay of disease prevention for at-risk patients. Whether the reduced incidence of severe complications of influenza will persist or a reduction in mortality has occurred will only be apparent when data collected from later in 2010 are analysed.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2010
URL for published report: http://www.hta.ac.uk/2224
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype
  • Influenza, Human
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright: 2010 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
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