Health
Immunizing more adults could save lives, dollars
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By SAODAT ASANOVA-TAYLOR
Capital News Service
LANSING – Failure to fully immunize Michigan adults has a staggering impact on job makers and the state economy, according to a new report by the Michigan Primary Care Consortium. The report, “The Business Case for Full Adult Immunization in Michigan,” closely researched the impact of diseases such as pneumonia and influenza. The results show about $495 million in annual economic costs, including emergency room visits, specialty medical care, lost productivity and absenteeism. According to the consortium, for every dollar spent on adult immunization, $18.40 is saved in the workplace and on hospital stays, physician visits and more expensive and lengthy treatments for diseases that would have been easily prevented with vaccination. Joseph Fortuna, vice president of the consortium, said vaccine-preventable diseases like pneumonia and the flu continue to ravage adults across the state.