Call for Action: Publicly Funded Vaccines

February 11, 2025

To: The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
Marit Stiles, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario
Bonnie Crombie, Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party
Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario

Re: Publicly Funded Vaccines for Lupus Patients and Immunocompromised Individuals: A Call for Action

Dear Party Leaders,

I am writing to you, on behalf of Ontarians battling lupus. Lupus is a complex, debilitating autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, leading to inflammation, pain, and organ damage. Lupus affects an estimated 16,000 Ontarians, many of whom are moderately to severely immunocompromised due to the disease itself and immunosuppressive treatments required to manage lupus symptoms. Lupus most often affects people in some of their most productive years, between the ages of 15 to 44. These age groups generally fall outside of various publicly funded vaccination programs. 

Ontarians living with immunocompromising and/or autoimmune conditions – which include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s, and kidney disease – face a high risk of severe illness, complications, and hospitalization from preventable infections such as:

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) – a major cause of severe respiratory complications, especially for moderately or severely immunocompromised persons.
• Shingles – a painful and often debilitating condition that occurs most frequent among older adults and immunocompromised persons (affecting 30.5% of lupus patients, as shown in a study by the Toronto Lupus Clinic).
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) – an infection that puts immunocompromised persons at a higher risk for recurring infections, various cancers and non-cancerous lesions.
• Pneumonia – a serious respiratory infection that can cause severe complications, hospitalization, and higher mortality among immunocompromised persons.

Despite their heightened vulnerability to these infections, many immunocompromised persons do not qualify for Ontario’s publicly funded vaccine programs unless they meet other narrow eligibility criteria (usually age-based). The financial burden of paying out-of-pocket for these essential immunizations – upwards of $1,245 for the four preventable infections – is a significant barrier to access to care for many immunocompromised persons.

Our Call to Action:

We are asking all parties to commit to expanding eligibility for publicly funded RSV, shingles, HPV, and pneumonia vaccines to lupus patients and other immunocompromised individuals.

By expanding eligibility for these programs, Ontario has a critical opportunity to protect some of its most vulnerable residents, reduce hospitalizations, and alleviate strain and financial burden on Ontario’s healthcare system.

Ontario’s immunocompromised residents deserve strong commitments from all parties.

Will you commit to expanding vaccine eligibility for immunocompromised individuals?

We will publicly share your response to this request on our website and social media.