[Vaccination: a programme for the whole life].

In 2010 in Switzerland, vaccine-preventable infectious diseases still cause a significant morbi-mortality, notably among old adults. While the vaccination-based prevention in the aged population has been neglected for a long time, the two European geriatrics and gerontology societies, EUGMS, IAGG-ER has recently proposed a vaccine schedule dedicated to adults aged over 60 and promote a life-course vaccination programme. To convince of the importance of such measures in Switzerland, this article: recounts the beneficial impact of vaccines on the incidence of measles, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus as well as influenza and pneumococcal diseases; presents the burden of these infectious diseases among the population no or insufficiently immunized; demonstrates that vaccinating in the respect of a life-course vaccine programme will reduce considerably the burden of these infectious disease.