GSK Announces the COiMMUNITY Initiative to Help Achieve Higher Adult Vaccination Rates in the US

• Grant funding will be provided to support national, state, and local non-profit organizations and community-based groups focused on adult immunization and health equity
• Increased data transparency and information on adult immunization trends will be available through enhanced Vaccine Track capabilities and collaborations to better inform public health efforts
• New resources and tools will help implement tangible solutions and further operationalize adult vaccination to help set a new precedent for adult immunization rates and close longstanding inequities in uptake

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced the launch of the COiMMUNITY Initiative to help reduce health inequities and set a new precedent for adult immunization rates in the US, which continue to remain below pre-pandemic levelsⁱ. The initiative is a multipronged effort to address long-standing barriers to adult immunization in the US with funding, increased data transparency through enhanced Vaccine Track capabilities and collaborations, and resource-sharing opportunities.

Judy Stewart, Senior Vice President, Head of US Vaccines, GSK said “This is a critical moment for public health. While there is a heightened level of awareness of the importance of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases, too often, adults miss the opportunity to prioritize vaccination, despite being increasingly susceptible to immune decline and infectious diseases. Our industry can do more by investing in local interventions to help create healthier communities and sustain best practices from the pandemic. We believe this initiative will contribute to a more equitable and resilient public health infrastructure and bolster existing partner efforts—leading to more vaccinated adults.”

The launch of the COiMMUNITY Initiative builds on recent US regulatory and industry developments that improve adult vaccine availability, coverage, and access. These include the 2023 policy changes within the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that expand and improve adult vaccine coverage for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, investments in community-level vaccine infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic, and innovations in adult vaccine development.

The COiMMUNITY Initiative includes the following components:

• Funding: GSK is committing up to $1 million USD in grant funding to support national, state and local non-profit organizations and community-based groups focused on adult immunization and health equity. This program is in addition to existing funding opportunities GSK provides to support the critical work of partner organizations within the immunization ecosystem. GSK recognizes the pivotal leadership demonstrated by these types of groups, particularly at the state and local levels, during the pandemic and the need to sustain their incredibly important work as patient advocates. Eligible organizations should respond to the Request for Proposal (RfP) with programming that aligns with the COiMMUNITY Initiative mission to reduce health inequities and help set a new precedent for adult immunization rates in the US. Grant proposals will be reviewed and approved on a rolling basis according to set principles and criteria until mid-November of 2023. The grant application process is now open on www.gskfunding.com. In your request, please address the COiMMUNITY Initiative.

• Data transparency and collaborations: GSK aims to strengthen data transparency and access to immunization trends to inform public health efforts. GSK will continue to make adult vaccination claims data available via Vaccine Track on a quarterly basis, and enhance the platform’s capabilities by further segmenting ​Medicaid data (e.g., Fee for Service vs. Managed Care) to improve the understanding of claims trends within these populations, as well as considering additional social determinants of health (e.g., urban vs rural, education, household income). GSK is also opening the platform to public and private stakeholders, welcoming the opportunity to potentially integrate and host additional data and viewpoints on adult vaccination trends. Data integration is subject to a Data Licensing Agreement.
  
  The most recent data published by Vaccine Track indicates that the average monthly claims through 2022 for recommended vaccines (excluding flu) show some improvements compared to 2021; however, they remain below 2019 levels. According to the data, on average, vaccination claims in 2022 are 14% lower than 2019, with 43 states and Washington, DC still facing claims reductions for recommended vaccinations for adults (excluding flu).​ The data also suggest that most of the adult vaccinations took place during the flu season, indicating additional pressure exerted on health systems in the flu months as well as missed vaccination opportunities year-round.

• Resource-sharing opportunities: GSK will share new resources, tools and best practices in adult vaccine confidence and delivery to help stakeholders implement tangible solutions for addressing adult immunization gaps. Resources include:
  • An infographic on year-round adult vaccination, which will support operationalizing the US adult immunization schedule, leveraging Vaccine Track data that shows missed opportunities throughout the year for non-seasonal vaccination. With new innovation in adult vaccination and the ability to protect against more diseases, further focus is needed on sequencing vaccine administration throughout the year to ensure adults stay up to date with recommended vaccinations.
  • “Optimizing Adult Immunizations in the U.S. – Building on Recent Coverage Expansions U.S. Vaccine Coverage 2023,” a recently commissioned whitepaper from CapView Strategies, LLC that outlines the current vaccine coverage landscape in the US and tangible solutions for addressing adult immunization gaps. The paper explores three immediate, actionable steps to boost adult immunization rates:
    • Address Seasonality and Operationalize the Adult Immunization Schedule
    • Ensure “No Wrong Door” to Vaccine Receipt—Making Access Easier
    • Embed an Equity Focus Across Adult Immunization Efforts
  • Disease education materials, to further demonstrate GSK’s commitment to science-driven disease education and its investments in new programs to spotlight adult immunization.

GSK will coordinate regular convenings with external stakeholders and harness existing forums to share best practices in adult vaccine confidence and delivery, empowering public health organizations and communities with actionable models to help bring successful adult immunization efforts to scale.

About Vaccine Track

Vaccine Track is a comprehensive platform provided by GSK, in collaboration with IQVIA, for use by public health officials, industry leaders, and medical professionals to strengthen vaccination data transparency, raise awareness and publicly share vaccination trends. Containing comprehensive claims data about routine adult (age 19+) vaccines, Vaccine Track currently spans information from January 2019 to December 2022 and will be updated on a quarterly basis. Information is sourced from medical claims data and longitudinal prescription data; both datasets are de-identified for research purposes. Medical claims data is collected from services performed in physicians’ offices; longitudinal prescription data sourced from retail and mail pharmacies, as well as long-term care facilities. Vaccines administered in institutional or hospital settings, as well as through certain other settings or programs, are not accounted for in projections.

About GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D 'Risk factors” in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2022, and Q1 Results for 2023 and any impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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References
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ⁱ VaccineTrack.com

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Source: GSK plc