Is there a potential role for protein-conjugate pneumococcal vaccine in older adults?

Longstanding controversy over the efficacy of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) led to a recommendation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) of the United Kingdom in March 2011, to discontinue routine use of PPV23 in older adults.(1) Following careful review of the evidence and feedback from stakeholders, the JCVI decided to retain the original policy of uniform vaccination of adults >65 years of age, while keeping the subject under continued review. In the United States, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) which is also concerned about the efficacy of PPV23 is currently considering a different strategy, i.e. adding 13-valent pneumococcal protein-conjugate vaccine (PCV13) for recommended use in adults, following recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for this purpose in adults over 50 years of age. It is therefore timely to review the options for prevention of pneumococcal disease in adults.