Global Coalition On 
Science for Ageing
Why prevention matters more as we age
Longer lives, do not always mean healthier ones, and conversations are moving towards what people can do to aid their health as they age. Preventive healthcare is one avenue helping address the complex needs of an ageing population.
“We know we are living longer, but the critical question is: are we living longer and healthier, or longer and sicker?” asks John Beard, director of the International Longevity Center at Columbia University.
This question is not asked by Beard alone. As global lifespans continue to rise, more people are living longer in old age, and this has prompted experts to think more about how people can be supported to stay in good health for longer.
With this new reality comes mounting pressures for healthcare systems. The rise in older patients has led to an influx in comorbidities to treat, and with less available doctors, time spent with each patient is dwindling – which can put more pressure on healthcare systems. These pressures can lead to a focus on treating a patient’s immediate issues, leaving little to no time to discuss preventive care to help reduce future risks
For many, including Beard, this has prompted a more proactive approach towards preventive healthcare and the steps that can be taken to reduce health risks later in life. “It is a shift from just thinking about prevention of diseases to thinking about how we can build and maintain the ability to do the things we value,” he says.
When health becomes more complex
With ageing health needs can become increasingly complex, and bodies no longer respond to illnesses in the same way. Infections that might once have been mild can have more serious consequences leading to complications, hospitalisation or longer recovery times.
Globally, around one in three people live with a non-communicable disease (NCDs), such as heart disease and cancer as well as chronic respiratory diseases including COPD and asthma. At the same time, many people are managing more than one health
challenge, which can often make their health feel more fragile and increase the impact of common infections.
The relationship between these infections or vaccine preventable diseases and NCDs, works both ways. People living with chronic conditions can become more vulnerable to infections and when they do get ill, the consequences can be more severe. But infections can also make existing conditions worsen, triggering complications or accelerating decline.
In this way, even a single bout of sickness can have a lasting impact on someone’s overall health and independence, and reducing these risks is becoming increasingly important to help reduce illnesses and protect people’s quality of life.
This makes preventive healthcare all the more critical in helping to manage the complex health needs of ageing populations. Beyond the health impact, prevention also delivers wider value. Vaccinations offer a clear example of this, a recent study suggested that adult vaccination programmes can return up to 19 times their initial investment to society, by reducing healthcare costs and supporting productivity.
Protecting health as we age
“There is no single intervention that addresses everything,” says Beard. “Vaccination is one of the most established tools we have for protecting health across the life course,” he adds.
Many countries now recommend specific vaccine formulations designed for older people as part of broader preventive healthcare strategies. These can include higher- dose formulations and adjuvanted vaccines – formulations designed to strengthen the immune response – as well as recombinant approaches that have been specifically evaluated for use in older populations.
Older adults are more likely to experience severe outcomes from respiratory infections, such as the flu, RSV and pneumococcal disease. The goal of adult immunisation is to either prevent or reduce the severity of disease as risks for those infections increase.
What’s next for vaccine innovation and healthcare for older adults?
Vaccine research is becoming increasingly data-driven. Around 25 disease are now vaccine preventive, as advances in systems biology, genomics and clinical data, are helping scientists better understand how immune responses change with age and how vaccines can be designed to work more effectively for older people.
This shift is helping move healthcare from reacting to illness while a growing range of vaccines for adults is prompting a renewed look at how adult immunisation can be better delivered in practice aiming to protect overall health and support people to stay active, independent and themselves for longer.
Emerging technologies are also contributing to opening new possibilities. Compared with traditional vaccine technology, RNA-based vaccines can be adapted for different diseases while mostly using the same manufacturing process., potentially accelerating development for specific populations and emerging diseases.
Over the next decade, some experts predict that vaccines research and development will become more precise, faster and adaptable, and a bigger part of health prevention strategies.
Turning progress into impact
However, innovations in science and technology will not automatically translate into longer, healthier lives.
“When you look at global policy on vaccination, I think it’s very ageist,” says Beard. “You know, I think we tend to think of vaccination as something for younger people, but in fact, there’s very good evidence that being vaccinated against key conditions in older age is really important.”
Many feel that interventions, like vaccination, only have their full impact if health systems are set up to support access to them as part of a more proactive approach to care. By expanding how evidence is gathered on the value that vaccines bring for individual health and broader socioeconomic systems, it may encourage people to adopt a prevention- first mindset.
Organisations such as GSK are working to support this shift, through continuously pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation and focusing on improving access to vaccination at all stages of life.
For some, supporting longer, healthier lives will depend not just on innovation, but on how it’s used in everyday life, ensuring vaccines reach those who need them, and that people are equipped with the right information and support to take a proactive approach to their health.
Because prevention isn’t just about adding healthier years to life, it’s about helping people get the best out of those years too.
*Vaccines are rigorously studied and subject to ongoing safety monitoring. Medical decisions should be made on an individual basis, and some vaccines may not be suitable for everyone. Please consult a healthcare professional to determine what is appropriate for you.
Supporting longer, healthier lives will require more than innovation alone. It will depend on making prevention accessible in practice. As innovation advances, the systems and frameworks around it must keep pace to expand access and uptake. GSK is working towards ensuring vaccines reach those who need them, and that people are equipped with the right information and support to take a proactive approach to their health.