First Nations people aged 25-59 will be among the more than five million Australians eligible to receive funded vaccination to help prevent pneumococcal bacterial infections such as pneumonia, septicaemia, meningitis and middle ear infections, under an expanded National Immunisation Program for Australian adults announced Tuesday.
From July 1, 2026, an extra 1.8 million Australians on top of those previously funded will be eligible to receive CAPVAXIVE® (Pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine), indicated for the prevention of pneumococcal disease in adults caused by certain bacterial serotypes.
Under the expanded National Immunisation Program eligibility, adults aged over 65 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged over 25 years and individuals with certain at-risk conditions aged over 18 years, will be eligible for vaccination, including - for the first time - at-risk adults with chronic liver disease (CLD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Eligible adults who had received a previous pneumococcal vaccine, will be able to be revaccinated with CAPVAXIVE at least 12 months after their previous vaccination.
Invasive pneumococcal disease can be serious for older Australians, people living with at-risk conditions and First Nations people who are at high risk for bacterial pneumonia, blood infections and meningitis.
In 2024, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 25 accounted for 13.4 per cent of cases among all Australians aged over 25.
Overall, First Nations people of all ages are disproportionately affected by pneumococcal disease. Across all age groups, notifications for pneumococcal disease among First Nations people are five times as high as would be expected if they experienced the same rate of pneumococcal disease as the rest of the population.
The 2025 Australian Institute of Health & Welfare report - Vaccine Preventable Disease Among First Nations People - found First Nations people are more susceptible to pneumococcal disease due to a range of factors including underlying health conditions, access to healthcare services, and lifestyle factors.
Some of the factors include having health conditions such as lung disease, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease, as well as smoking, living in crowded housing, and alcohol use.
MSD Australia and New Zealand managing director Chifumi Umeda said the addition of CAPVAXIVE on the National Immunisation Program is testament to the federal government's commitment to help protect Australians against pneumococcal disease.
"We welcome the Government's investment in expanding access to adult pneumococcal vaccination and its commitment to protecting Australians at risk of serious disease," Ms Umeda said.
"MSD looks forward to partnering with the (Australian) government to support implementation of this important program, bringing our long-standing commitment to vaccines and preventative health to help deliver better public health outcomes."
Preventative health advocate Dr Sarah Chu said the changes may help protect eligible adults against pneumococcal disease.
"The expansion of the adult pneumococcal NIP has been long awaited, as pneumococcal disease and invasive pneumococcal disease in particular, may lead to severe illness, long-term consequences and even death," Dr Chu said.
"Australia has a strong infant pneumococcal NIP (National Immunisation Program) and we welcome the government's commitment and investment in helping protect even more Australians through the updated adult pneumococcal NIP."
