People 50 and older should get pneumococcal vaccine, US science panel recommends

abcnews.go.com:

A scientific panel is recommending that people 50 and older get a shot against bacteria that can cause pneumonia and other dangerous illnesses

NEW YORK — A scientific panel on Wednesday recommended that people 50 and older get a shot against bacteria that can cause pneumonia and other dangerous illnesses.

If the recommendation is accepted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the minimum recommended age for older adults to get the shot would be lowered from 65, where it currently stands.

The committee voted 14-1 to make the change during a meeting in Atlanta. The CDC has final say, but it almost always approves committee recommendations. The guidance is widely heeded by doctors and prompts health insurers to pay for recommended shots.

Pneumococcal shot recommendations are sometimes called the most complicated vaccination guidance that the government issues. The CDC currently recommends shots for children younger than 5 and adults 65 or older, as long as they have never been vaccinated against pneumococcal disease. Officials also recommend the shots for children and adults at increased risk for pneumococcal disease, such as those with diabetes, chronic liver disease or a weakened immune system.

There are more than 100 known types of pneumococci bacteria, which can cause serious infections in the lungs and other parts of the body. Each year, the U.S. sees roughly 30,000 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease, which includes blood infections, brain and spine inflammation, and other illnesses. About 30% of cases are among 50- to 64-year-olds.

The first pneumococcal vaccine was licensed in the U.S. in 1977, and since then pharmaceutical companies have been coming up with newer versions that target a dozen or