Meningococcal B vaccine co-administration in older adolescents and young adults and potential missed opportunities for vaccination in the United States: a retrospective claims database analysis

In the United States (US), meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccination is currently recommended under shared clinical decision-making for 16–23-year-olds to prevent invasive meningococcal disease; the MenB vaccine may be co-administered with other vaccines recommended for this age group. A retrospective analysis of two US health insurance claims databases was conducted to estimate the proportion of commercially insured and Medicaid-insured 16–23-year-olds with potential missed opportunities for MenB vaccine series initiation via co-administration. Potential missed opportunities were defined as visits with healthcare providers during which other recommended vaccines (MenACWY, Tdap, HPV, influenza, and/or COVID-19) were administered, but not the initial MenB vaccine dose. In 2022, 74.5% of commercially insured and 67.1% of Medicaid-insured 16–23-year-olds had potential missed opportunities for MenB vaccination initiation via co-administration. The proportion of missed opportunities was higher among 19–23-year-olds (versus 16–18-year-olds) and lower for visits with pediatricians (versus internists or general practitioners/family physicians). The most frequently co-administered vaccine was the MenACWY vaccine. Many 16–23-year-olds had potential missed opportunities for MenB series initiation via co-administration. Increasing awareness of the opportunity to initiate the MenB series via co-administration may improve meningococcal vaccination coverage in the United States. Invasive meningococcal disease is an uncommon but serious disease that can be prevented with vaccination. In the United States (US), 16–23-year-olds can decide with their healthcare provider to be vaccinated against meningococcal serogroup B (MenB). The MenB vaccine is given in at least two doses and other vaccines recommended for these 16–23-year-olds can be given at the same visit. This study estimated how many 16–23-year-olds had potential missed opportunities for receiving the first dose of the MenB vaccine (visits with healthcare providers when 16–23-year-olds received other recommended vaccines but not the MenB vaccine). Anonymized health insurance claims of commercially insured and Medicaid-insured 16–23-year-olds were used for the study. In 2022, most 16–23-year-olds in the study, and especially 19–23-year-olds, did not receive the first dose of the MenB vaccine together with other vaccines at the same visit. In addition, 16–23-year-olds were more likely to receive the first dose of the MenB vaccine together with other vaccines when they visited pediatricians than when they visited general practitioners, family physicians, or internists. The vaccine most often received together with the MenB vaccine was the meningococcal serogroup A, C, W, and Y (MenACWY) vaccine. Increasing awareness of the option to receive the MenB vaccine with other vaccines may help improve MenB vaccination coverage among adolescents and young adults in the US. Additionally, 16–23-year-olds can receive the combined MenABCWY vaccine instead of receiving the MenB and MenACWY vaccines at the same visit.