When we think about the protection that can be provided by a comprehensive immunization plan, we think in terms of lifetimes. It’s vital that we also remember the important moments that make up each lifetime. Some can be indelibly memorable. Others are so routine that we need to set reminders for them. And a few are remarkable only for what did not happen – like when a case of the flu did not lead to hospitalization, or an exposure to COVID-19 did not disrupt a family event.
The moments when we make critical choices for public health reverberate across communities and timelines in ways that can be both obvious and unseen. A prevented infection or outbreak may be easy to discount, but it has an impact – in hospital beds available for people in need, in staff hours available for delivering care, and in burnout prevented.
Momentous decisions.
As the U.S. population ages, pressures on health care systems and the providers working within them are changing. Many systems are being asked to do more with less. [1] That makes it increasingly important to preserve critical healthcare resources and capacity for handling unforeseeable events. As we ask our institutions and providers to be ready to tend to patients in need, we can also take steps to help preserve capacity for doing so.
Immunization against common respiratory infections like flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 can reduce the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death. It is especially important for those at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses to stay up to date on recommended immunizations.[2] While cases that can be treated at home do place a burden on individuals, they can be less likely to take a toll on healthcare systems. Those moments when an immunized person did not need to be hospitalized can make a difference when someone else does need care.
Long-term thinking.
Lifetimes are exactly the context that informs the approach to scientific innovation that underpins the Sanofi Vaccines portfolio. Its broad range of products represents lifetimes of research – building evidence that demonstrates vaccines working in real-world conditions. Sanofi works to generate data that can provide health system decision makers with the kind of information they need to make informed decisions about community health.
That same approach to data collection and analysis drives the company’s efforts to investigate and anticipate how common infections such as influenza, COVID-19, and RSV will mutate in the future. The company’s seasonal updates for flu vaccines are the product of sustained investment in targeting and forecasting using machine learning tools to analyze available data to help develop protection against the spread of these viruses each year.
Innovation that is patient-focused, not platform-driven.
Sanofi’s vaccine portfolio represents rigorous work beyond just a collection of products. It embodies extensive research in public health, identified threats, and collaborations with providers to safeguard communities. This proactive approach is evident in the breadth of its portfolio today and its pipeline.
Sanofi’s vaccine portfolio, like its pipeline, is not limited to any specific vaccine technology platform. Sanofi investigates different types of immunization technology, including live-attenuated, inactivated, recombinant protein, conjugated polysaccharides, messenger RNA, and monoclonal antibodies to provide a wide array of approaches for meeting public health and patient needs.
Sustaining collaboration.
Vaccine technology is not the only resource Sanofi employs to help advance public health. The company also embraces collaboration and is dedicated to building partnerships that empower communities to obtain access to health-preserving immunizations. Every community deserves protection against preventable diseases – and every provider deserves a partner that shares their commitment.
In the moments when we make decisions for the next year, we’re also making choices that can extend through communities. Sanofi is a public health partner that approaches every moment today with an awareness of our obligation to the future. Learn more about Sanofi’s vaccines, here.
[1] Jones, C.H., Dolsten, M. Healthcare on the brink: navigating the challenges of an aging society in the United States. npj Aging 10, 22 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-024-00148-2
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, April 6). Immunization can prevent severe respiratory illness and death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/immunization-can-prevent-severe-respiratory-illness-and-death.html
