A “Disney of vaccines” looking towards older adults
WAVRE, Belgium – Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the global population aged 60 and over will increase from 12% to 22%. We are in the Decade of Healthy Aging (2021-2030), a period in which the population aged 60 and over will increase by 34%, from 1 billion to 1.4 billion people. By 2050, they will exceed 2.1 billion. (See references below)
All countries face monumental challenges in adapting their health and social systems to this demographic shift, ensuring that they are not a burden, but rather an asset that is fully utilized. In this context of accelerated aging, the essential course is to promote policies and initiatives that prioritize prevention and early intervention.
This vision was presented during a press session during a visit to GSK's main vaccine plant, located in the heart of Belgium in a vast cluster the size of 70 soccer fields; its employees call it "the Disney of vaccines." It is the epicenter of pharmaceutical production for immunizations, from where GSK exports essential vaccines for both infants and the elderly to 150 countries. There, GSK is investing in expanding its production by expanding its technology with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other digital tools that will allow them to accelerate vaccine development (they have 17 on the way) to meet growing global demand. Their platforms include technologies such as adjuvants, mRNA, MAPS, recombinant, antigen design/structural biology, and membrane antigen, all to produce vaccines more quickly and new ones previously unthinkable.
Otavio Cintra, Regional Head of Medical Affairs for Emerging Markets, comments that GSK not only creates solutions, but also drives a paradigm shift: from mere disease management to proactive prevention. In a world marked by comorbidities, this perspective is more urgent than ever.
Just a few facts to reinforce this: Chronic diseases account for nearly three-quarters of all deaths worldwide, and 40% of them are considered preventable. In G20 countries, lost productivity due to preventable diseases in people aged 50 to 64 costs $30 trillion annually. These figures are not abstract; they reflect lives cut short, families affected, and economies strained.
By 2050, 80% of older people will live in low- and middle-income countries. The pace of aging is much faster than in the past: in 2020, the number of people aged 60 and over already surpassed that of children under 5. Here, say GSK executives, lies the power of science and technology: preventing and altering the root causes of diseases. Innovating to stop them before they begin, prevent or slow their progression, and limit complications.
The English pharmaceutical company, aligned with this approach, has a growing portfolio in critical areas such as respiratory, immunology and inflammation, oncology, HIV, and infectious diseases. In each area, GSK combines prevention and treatment, developing both vaccines and medications. This duality is considered key in a landscape where infections and chronic diseases are intertwined. In the field of adult vaccinations, GSK stands out with its shingles vaccine (Shingrix), already positioned as a success for people over 50. This vaccine addresses the immunological weakening typical of older adulthood, when the immune system becomes more susceptible to infections.
Now, GSK is about to launch the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults in Mexico, adding to its existing offering. RSV, which is often underestimated, causes severe hospitalizations in this population, especially in the presence of comorbidities. In Mexico, this need is pressing, considering our epidemics of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems. Adults with these conditions face an elevated risk of hospitalization if they contract preventable diseases such as RSV or shingles.
The 6 axes of the Sectoral Program require more $
The recently published 2025-2030 Health Sector Program is a significant advance in Mexico's health planning, already reflecting knowledge and a realistic vision after a six-year period of improvisation. Secretary of Health David Kershenobich's plan seeks to unify the system and transform care toward prevention, without denying vulnerabilities such as population aging and regional inequalities. Its six central axes are plausible: 1) Universal vaccination coverage with a nominal digital registry; 2) Ensuring the supply of medicines and supplies through a centralized and transparent model; 3) Reducing premature mortality from chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and cancer; 4) Improving hospital quality with specialized protocols and the construction of 27 new units; 5) Implementing a unified electronic medical record to optimize care; and 6) Reducing deaths from traffic accidents, promoting transplants, and combating obesity and diabetes through food policies.
But for these ambitious goals to be credible, we need to see the Ministry of Finance prioritize the health sector as essential in the 2026 Federal Expenditure Budget and increase its funding by at least 1% of GDP. Only then will we believe this government is serious about improving the health system and that it is not just good intentions.
Why is so much hemodialysis performed in Mexico?
Did you know that Mexico is the only country where kidney failure is treated much more frequently with hemodialysis—which is much more expensive and not always the best option—than with peritoneal dialysis—more efficient and accessible? Well, it turns out there's a reason: it's a system that for many years was encouraged by nephrologists, not because it was the best option for the patient, but because it represented big business for them as specialists. It turns out that the vast majority of hemodialysis clinics are owned by nephrologists, and they themselves worked at IMSS, ISSSTE, SEDENA, etc., and they referred patients to their own clinics for hemodialysis. Everyone within the institutes knows this, and today there are intentions to break these perverse incentives. Let's hope it's done properly.
References:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
https://population.un.org/dataportal/home?df=25968cbb-37d3-42de-8878-c3e4259afba8
Eleconomista
