Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1489. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he and his Department have taken to ensure that NIAC's advice to offer an enhanced influenza vaccine for those aged over 65 years is heeded; the preparatory work that has been carried out to date; the specific actions he is taking to ensure that those over 65 years of age have received the required protection in the 2023-2024 winter period; if he will outline any other steps his Department is taking and plans to take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13767/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Immunisation Programme in Ireland, which includes the influenza immunisation programme, is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. NIAC make recommendations on vaccination policy to the Department of Health.

NIAC continue to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.

For the 2022/2023 flu season, the flu vaccine is available free of charge to adults over 65 years, individuals in specified at-risk groups and children aged from 2 to 17 years. This approach ensures that those most vulnerable to the effects of influenza will have access to the flu vaccination without a charge.

To inform decision making in relation to the current immunisation programme, HIQA has been asked to include a Health technology assessment (HTA) in its work programme, in relation to vaccination with an enhanced quadrivalent influenza vaccine, that is, adjuvanted QIV (aQIV) or high dose QIV in those aged 65 and older.

A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology to provide information regarding clinical effectiveness and safety, cost-effectiveness and budget impact, organisational and social aspects, and ethical and legal issues. The information is collected and presented in a systematic, unbiased and transparent manner to inform policy decision making.