Immunisation for people with medical risk conditions

Vaccines for people with medical risk conditions

People with specific medical risk conditions are at greater risk of getting some vaccine-preventable diseases and need additional protection.

Speak to your health professional about your and your family’s specific needs. They can advise if you or your children need additional or specific vaccines.

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) funds a number of vaccines for people with specific medical risk conditions, including:

• pneumococcal
• meningococcal
• influenza
• haemophilus influenzae type b
• shingles.

Not all medical risk conditions are covered for free. For information on medical conditions recommended and/or funded, refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Pneumococcal vaccine

Pneumococcal vaccines under the NIP are free and recommended for all people with specified medical risk conditions that increase their risk of pneumococcal disease. 

The type of vaccine used and the dosage schedule will depend on age and any conditions that put people at higher risk of getting pneumococcal disease. Ask your health professional what pneumococcal vaccination to get and when.

Medical risk conditions covered under the NIP:

• Previous episode of invasive pneumococcal disease
• Functional or anatomical asplenia
• Immunocompromising conditions
• Proven or presumptive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak
• Chronic respiratory disease
• Chronic renal disease
• Cardiac disease
• Children born less than 28 weeks gestation
• Trisomy 21

Talk to your health professional about your eligibility for a free pneumococcal vaccine and if you or your children need additional vaccinations.

Find more information: Pneumococcal vaccine.

Meningococcal vaccine

Meningococcal ACWY vaccine

Meningococcal ACWY vaccines under the NIP are free and recommended for all people with specified medical risk conditions that increase their risk of meningococcal disease.

Medical risk conditions covered under the NIP for meningococcal ACWY vaccines:

• people with acquired complement deficiency due to receipt of complement inhibitor therapy
• people undergoing eculizumab treatment, or who will undergo treatment or commence treatment with Empavali (pegcetacoplan) for the treatment of adults with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria who have an inadequate clinical response or are intolerant to treatment with eculizumab or ravulizumab.
• People with congenital or acquired asplenia or hyposplenia.

Meningococcal B vaccine

The Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine is recommended and provided free of charge under the NIP for the following groups:

1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals with specified medical risk conditions that increase susceptibility to meningococcal disease, including:

• Deficiencies or defects in complement components, factor H, factor D, or properdin deficiency
• Acquired complement deficiency due to treatment with complement inhibitors eculizumab or ravulizumab
• Functional or anatomical asplenia, including conditions such as sickle cell disease, other haemoglobinopathies, or congenital/acquired asplenia
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, irrespective of disease stage or CD4+ cell count
• Recipients of haematopoietic stem cell transplants

2. All individuals with the following specified medical risk conditions:

• Those undergoing or scheduled to commence treatment with Empaveli (pegcetacoplan)
• Individuals with acquired complement deficiency due to complement inhibitor therapy (e.g., eculizumab or ravulizumab)
• Those with congenital or acquired asplenia or hyposplenia. 

Influenza vaccine

Influenza vaccine under the NIP are free and recommended for people aged 6 months and over with specific medical conditions. These conditions increase their risk of serious complications if they catch the flu.

The National Immunisation Program covers free annual flu vaccination for people with the following medical risk conditions that increase their risk of influenza:

• cardiac disease
• chronic respiratory conditions
• immunocompromising conditions
• haematological disorders
• chronic metabolic disorder
• chronic kidney disease
• chronic neurological condition
• long term aspirin therapy in children aged 5 to 10 years.

Talk to your health professional about your eligibility for a free Influenza vaccine and if you are at risk of serious complications from influenza.

Find more information: ;Influenza (flu) vaccine.

Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine is recommended and free for people over 5 years with functional or anatomical asplenia if they were not fully vaccinated in early childhood.

Get more information: Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine.

Shingles vaccine

The shingles vaccine is recommended and free for people aged 18 years and over considered at increased risk of herpes zoster due to an underlying condition and/or immunomodulatory/ immunosuppressive treatments.

Medical conditions covered under the NIP:

• Acute haematological malignancies
• Chronic haematological malignancies
• Human immunodeficiency virus infection
• Inborn errors of immunity with ongoing functional deficits
• Chronic kidney disease
• Cellular therapies and stem cell transplantation
• B and T-cell targeted monoclonal antibody therapies
• Cancer therapies
• Conventional immunosuppressive agents
• Biologic therapies
• Immunomodulatory drugs
• Oral small molecule targeted therapies
• Immunosuppressive therapy to prevent organ rejection
• Interleukin (IL) inhibitors

People who previously received a free Zostavax^® shingles vaccine under the NIP are not eligible for a free Shingrix^® vaccine for at least 5 years.

People who have purchased the Zostavax^® vaccine privately can receive Shingrix^® for free under the program if they are eligible.

People should wait at least 12 months between receiving Zostavax^® and getting the Shingrix^® vaccine.

Talk to your health professional about your eligibility for a free shingles vaccine.

Get more information: Shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine