Influenza is an acute viral infection that infects the lungs and upper airways. Some people recover quickly from the influenza, but others become very sick and need to be treated in hospital. Some people can die from the influenza, especially if they are older or have underlying conditions. The influenza virus spreads every winter and the annual influenza vaccine is the best way to protect against the virus. Currently, a standard vaccine is used. However, people’s immune systems change as they age and as a result, standard vaccines may be less effective in older adults. Enhanced influenza vaccines have been developed in an attempt to increase vaccine effectiveness, but they are more expensive. The Department of Health asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to look at the impact of making enhanced influenza vaccines (instead of standard influenza vaccines) available to everyone aged 65 years and older as part of the Health Service Executive (HSE) Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme. A draft report describing the results of the assessment is being made available for public consultation prior to being finalised.
Influenza vaccination health technology assessment: Public consultation
The aim of this consultation exercise is to gain feedback from stakeholders with a broad range of experience that could potentially be affected by a change to the influenza vaccine used for those aged 65 years and older as part of the HSE Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme. Input from all sectors of society is crucial in providing comprehensive, balanced and evidence-based information to aid decision making in our national health service.
Interested parties are asked to review the draft report and provide us with any comments or additional information they feel are pertinent to the assessment and to decision-making regarding a change to the influenza vaccine used for those aged 65 years and older as part of the HSE Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme. The consultation period will last until 11 July 2024.
The easiest way to give your feedback is to complete the online survey here.
Alternatively, you can complete a PDF or Word version of the consultation form available below, and e-mail the completed consultation form to consultation@hiqa.ie or you can post your completed form to: Health Information and Quality Authority, George's Court, George's Lane, Dublin 7, D07 E98Y.
You can read the draft report and participate in the public consultation at www.hiqa.ie.
After the closing date, we will assess all feedback in order to inform our final report. The final HTA report and the Statement of Outcomes (a summary of the feedback received and our responses to it) will be published on www.hiqa.ie.
Following this consultation, the report will be updated, as necessary, based on the feedback received. The report will then be provided as advice to the Minister for Health and Health Service Executive (HSE) to inform a decision on whether enhanced influenza vaccines (instead of standard influenza vaccines) should be funded as part of the HSE Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme for those aged 65 years and older.
More details can be found in the following press release.