Source: PHARMAC
Information on what the Immunisation Advisory Committee (IAC) will be considering at its upcoming meeting in May 2026.
Matters arising
Pertussis vaccine eligibility criteria for parents or primary caregivers
The Committee will discuss expanding the eligibility of the pertussis vaccine to parents or primary caregivers of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care unit or specialist care baby units.
Hepatitis A vaccine (HBVaxPro) widening of access to at risk groups and HIV patients
The Committee will re-discuss previous applications to widen access for Hepatitis A vaccine for at risk groups and patients living with HIV. This follows consultation and feedback received on these proposals through Pharmac’s work to decline inactive funding applications.
Decision to decline inactive funding applications
Applications for:
Hepatitis A vaccine (HbVaxPro)(external link)
Hepatitis A vaccine for HIV patients(external link)
Applications
Meningococcal vaccines (MenB and MenACWY) for people in close living situations
The Committee will reconsider its previous advice about how best to improve access to the meningococcal vaccines (MenB and MenACWY) for people living in close living situations and those aged 13-25 years old.
As part of this discussion, the Committee will also review its previous recommendations about the ‘catch-up’ component of a vaccination programme for meningococcal A, C, Y And W-135 Vaccine.
It will also consider widening access to people 13 – 25 years who received meningococcal vaccines more than 5 years previously who are in close living situations.
Current funding of these vaccines can be found on the online Schedule(external link)
Applications to be discussed
Young people aged 13 to 21 years, ongoing vaccination at 14 years of age(external link),
Young people aged 5 to 21 years, ongoing vaccination at 14 years of age(external link),
Adolescents at 14 years of age(external link)
Clesrovimab for the prevention of RSV LRTI in newborns and infants
The Committee will discuss an application for clesrovimab, (ENFLONSIA) for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in newborns and infants.
Members of the Respiratory Advisory Committee will also join for this discussion.
Application for clesrovimab for prevention of RSV LRTI in newborns and infants(external link)
RSVpreF (Abrysvo) for the prevention of RSV respiratory infections in infants (by immunisation of pregnant individuals), older people, and those who are immunocompromised
The Committee will discuss three applications for RSVpreF vaccine (ABRYSVO) for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -associated lower respiratory tract (LRTI) infection the following groups:
- infants by active immunisation of pregnant individuals
- older adults
- immunocompromised adults
Members of the Respiratory Advisory Committee will also join for this discussion.
Application for RSVpreF for pregnant individuals(external link)
Application for RSVpreF in older adults(external link)
Application for RSVpreF for immunocompromised adults(external link)
Advisory meeting agenda setting
The scheduling and agenda setting process for advisory meetings considers multiple factors. We aim to balance the relative priorities of clinical advice needed across indications, the factors for consideration for each application (for example unmet health need), the time since applications were received and the internal and advisor resource available to support each meeting.
