Ontario Adds CAPVAXIVE Vaccine to Publicly Funded Immunization Program

Ontario has included CAPVAXIVE in its publicly funded adult pneumococcal immunization program, Merck announced. The vaccine is approved by Health Canada for adults aged 18 and older to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), including severe infections such as sepsis, meningitis, and bacteremic pneumonia.

According to Canadian surveillance data from 2019 to 2023, the serotypes included in CAPVAXIVE accounted for approximately 65% of IPD cases in adults aged 18-49, 74% of IPD cases in adults aged 50-64, and 80% of IPD cases in adults aged 65 and older.

MATTHEW THORNHILL, Executive Director, Vaccines & HIV Business Unit at Merck Canada, stated that Ontario's decision reflects the importance of ensuring immunization programs respond to changing public health needs and disease trends. He added that expanding access to pneumococcal vaccination through a publicly funded program can help protect older adults from serious disease.