As of 19 September 2025, the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Council has completed the evidence appraisal on the assessment of pneumococcal vaccines for the prevention of disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in elderly adults 60 years old and above, including the following vaccine regimen: (1) pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 (PCV13) in sequence to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), (2) pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 15 (PCV15) in sequence to PPSV23, and (3) PPSV23 alone, for possible government financing. The HTA Council hereby makes public its preliminary recommendation on the said health technologies for stakeholder feedback/comments from 19 September (Friday) to 03 October (Friday) 2025.

As a preliminary recommendation, the HTA Council recommends the government to finance the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) for all adults 60 years old and older.

A separate recommendation for pneumococcal vaccination of adults 18 to 59 years old shall be released. 

For the supporting evidence reviewed and discussed by the HTA Council, please refer to the advisory and the evidence document below.

All comments, inputs, and/or appeals on the above preliminary recommendation may be submitted for the consideration by the HTA Council, through email at hta@dost.gov.ph. Please use the prescribed form for appeals indicated in the official HTA Philippines website [https://hta.dost.gov.ph/appeals-2/]. Appeals not following the prescribed format, and those submitted beyond the deadline shall not be entertained.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding the preliminary recommendation, please contact us through the same email address.