Life-course vaccination project launches with open letter to DG‑SANTE
4 May 2018
HPP has unveiled a new suite of materials focusing on how a life-course approach to vaccination can be incorporated into vaccination policies across Europe.
HPP has unveiled a new suite of materials focusing on how a life-course approach to vaccination can be incorporated into vaccination policies across Europe. This includes a policy report and two infographics: one for policymakers and the other for the general public.
The policy report was co-written by a group of leading stakeholders, including the Coalition for Life-course Immunisation. Some of the authors wrote an open letter to the European Commission Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG-SANTE) to mark the launch of the report and infographics.
The report advocates for change in vaccination policies around five key pillars:
- Leadership from the top
- Changing public perception of vaccination
- Engaging healthcare professionals to recommend vaccination and encourage optimal coverage
- Integrating vaccination into non-healthcare settings, such as schools and workplaces
- Improving surveillance, data and research on the impact of vaccination throughout life.
Current vaccination policies tend to focus on childhood, despite evidence of the effectiveness of a life-course approach.
The infographics highlight specific benefits of a life-course approach to vaccination. Such benefits include a contribution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as a reduction in infectious diseases would reduce our use of antibiotics. AMR is responsible for 25,000 deaths in Europe each year.
During European Immunisation Week at the end of April, the European Commission proposed a Council recommendation on strengthened cooperation against vaccine-preventable diseases. In the open letter to DG-SANTE, the authors applaud this action and call on all stakeholders to commit to ensuring vaccination achieves its potential for future generations and remains a hallmark of successful prevention in years to come.
The project materials are hosted on the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations website and was also featured on Vaccines Today.
The project was initiated and funded by MSD. For more information on HPP’s role in project, see the life-course vaccination project page.
