» The number of people over the age of 60 is growing rapidly globally, and since 2020 it has outnumbered the number of children under the age of five. Keeping this large group of older people healthy and active is of vital societal importance. « So write the senior doctors and the Stockholm Medical Association, which also highlights that a large number of elderly doctors make significant contributions to Swedish healthcare – and that it is also important and for this reason that the group remains healthy. The petitioners point, among other things, to a medical commentary in Lakartedningen in which infectious disease doctors highlight the advantages of the national vaccination program for the elderly. The most important, according to medical associations, are vaccines against influenza, pneumococcus, shingles and Covid-19.
They also state the following:
“Booster doses from the childhood vaccination program where older people may lose immunity include hepatitis B vaccine for unvaccinated people who have not had the disease, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and polio.”
– As it stands now, this is very unfair as regions do it differently. Some regions have free shingles vaccines for the elderly, for example, while others do not, points out Torsten Mossberg, chief medical officer, when Läkartidningen reaches him.
More people think like him. In a discussion article in Al-Masaa newspaper Associations of doctors and retirees put forward many arguments in favor of a national vaccination program for the elderly: “The national vaccination program for the elderly is not only a matter of justice, but it would be wrong to wait for many reasons. This vaccine program is an effective preventive measure against infections that can lead to serious diseases affecting individuals and society as a whole.
In their proposal, top doctors and the Stockholm Medical Association want the medical association to work on a number of things: a national vaccination program for the elderly, which should be free, and there should be a national vaccination registry.
– The statute of the Medical Association states that the association should “promote the appropriate development of health care,” and we believe that the free vaccination program is a simple measure to promote good health for the elderly.
The Confederation's Board of Directors believes that the issue is “urgent” but does not consider it a priority issue for the Confederation. Regarding the national vaccination register, the Federal Council states that it already exists, and it is proposed – in the state inquiry SOU 2024:2 – that it also include regional and private vaccination programmes. In addition, work is underway to include information about vaccines in the National Medicines List and in the European Patient Overview.
Torsten Mossberg, who also campaigned for this in the previous council without results, thinks the answer is fine.
– which is a little more positive than last year's response, which was shamefully negative, he says and continues:
– I do not expect the Medical Syndicate to push the issue, but at least to have a positive attitude towards it and monitor it, which we believe is consistent with our statute. It would be a bit dangerous if the union completely got rid of the health problem. The health of our members also means not getting infections in their profession, so there must be an interest in the union to work towards this while many older doctors are still working, says Torsten Mossberg.
Lakartidningen.se
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