OVERVIEW

Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in At-Risk Adults: What’s the Latest? is organized by Center for Independent Healthcare Education, LLC.

Release Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Expiration Date: Thursday, December 7, 2023

Educational Overview:
Though the past two years have been dominated by COVID-19 news and discoveries, pneumococcal disease continues to place a heavy burden on the most vulnerable populations, including older adults and those with underlying conditions. Fortunately, available vaccines are highly effective in providing protection against invasive pneumococcal infection. However, serotype switching has made it necessary to expand the number of serotypes covered by the vaccines to ensure optimal protection. Introduction of new pneumococcal vaccines and revised recommendations requires updated education on selecting the optimal vaccine or vaccine series. Primary care providers (PCPs) are most often the first line of provider-patient contact, either during well, sick or follow-up visits, and are instrumental in-patient education. Improving vaccination rates among vulnerable adults will depend on proactive efforts by PCPs in identifying eligible patients and strongly recommending the vaccine.

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this educational activity, the learner should be able to:
• Assess how pneumococcal vaccine development can address the impact and burden of serotype switching
• Explain the latest ACIP guideline recommendations for the prevention of pneumococcal disease in at-risk adults
• Select an appropriate vaccine or vaccine series based on patient type to provide optimal protection against pneumococcal disease