Flu Vaccine Doesn't Protect Seniors From Pneumonia

Dr. Pascal James Imperato, dean of the master of public health program at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in New York City, was not surprised by these results.

"We know that elderly people do not form sufficient antibodies to certain vaccines, the flu vaccine included," Imperato said. "In addition, people in their 70s and 80s and 90s are more prone to pneumonia with or without influenza. A number of these pneumonias may be secondary to other causes aside from influenza."

Even though many of the elderly will not develop sufficient antibodies to the flu vaccine, getting the shot is still worthwhile, Imperato said. "Having many people vaccinated builds up a herd immunity to disease, and you create barriers to transmission," he added.

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Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, said the results of this study fly in the face of prevailing wisdom.

Siegel noted that 36,000 people in the United States die each year from the flu. "Over 90 percent of them are elderly," he said. "We give the flu shot primarily to prevent elderly deaths.

The effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies year to year, however, depending on how good a match it is for the circulating strains of influence. "In the best years, the flu vaccine is really only 40 to 60 percent effective," Siegel added.

In addition, Siegel thinks that the flu vaccine protects against other complication including respiratory diseases, which can also be fatal. "There are plenty of flu-related complications that are life-threatening besides pneumonia," he said.

"This study is a reminder that flu vaccines are not a panacea, but they are valuable, because they cut down on the incidence of influenza," Siegel said. "Flu shots definitely cut down on the number of flu-related deaths."

More information

For more about seasonal flu vaccine, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.