A new Gerontological Society of America report, “Concentric Value of Vaccination: Intersecting Health, Economic, and Societal Benefits,” provides evidence on the advantages of immunization for individual and population health, economic outcomes, and societal well-being.
“Vaccines remain the most consistently effective intervention against infectious diseases such as smallpox, rabies, polio, and various childhood illnesses,” the report concludes. “Their multifaceted impact highlights how vaccines not only prevent illness and reduce health care costs but also enable individuals to remain active contributors in the workforce, support caregiving roles, and sustain community engagement.”
The concentric value of vaccination across the life course is shown on page 2 of the report. It explains how “the benefits of vaccines ripple outward — from the individual to the community and the broader economy — reinforcing their role as one of the most powerful tools in public health.”
Economically, studies show that every $1 spent on childhood vaccines saves about $11 in avoided medical costs and preserved productivity. For adults over 50, vaccines that prevent influenza, pneumococcal disease, shingles, and pertussis could reduce an annual burden of nearly $27 billion in treatment costs, much of which falls on Medicare.
Vaccines also protect workplaces and caregivers. Seasonal flu alone accounts for an estimated 17 million lost workdays in the United States each year. Broad vaccination can cut this loss in half, reducing absenteeism, stabilizing productivity, and easing strain on families juggling work and caregiving. These ripple effects reinforce household stability and long-term economic security.
On a societal level, vaccines promote community resilience. High coverage reduces disease spread, creating community immunity that shields those who cannot be vaccinated, such as people with compromised immune systems. This indirect protection is especially important for older adults, who may not mount strong immune responses but remain at high risk of complications. Vaccination also allows individuals to stay engaged in work, caregiving, and volunteer roles — strengthening families, communities, and the broader economy.
In addition to sections detailing each of these layers of protection, the report includes a brief history and current state of vaccines in the U.S., a glossary of important terms in vaccinology, and sidebars on the U.S. vaccine approval process and advances in vaccine technology.
CSL Seqirus, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Sanofi, provided support for this report.
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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), founded in 1945, is the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization focused on aging. It serves more than 6,000 members in over 50 countries. GSA’s vision, meaningful lives as we age, is supported by its mission to foster excellence, innovation, and collaboration to advance aging research, education, practice, and policy. GSA is home to the National Academy on an Aging Society (a nonpartisan public policy institute) and the National Center to Reframe Aging.