Stronger together

Maintaining a healthy vaccine demand and supply ecosystem

Maintain a healthy vaccine demand and supply ecosystem

Did you know

Shortages of vaccines are of increasing concern in the EU and globally1. The reasons are multiple:

What Europe can do

Foster early and continuous dialogue between individual manufacturers and health authorities that allows both sides to better anticipate the evolution of vaccine recommendations and more accurately forecast vaccine demand

Reduce the number of labelling & packaging requirements by evaluating the feasibility of introducing simplified, multi-lingual packs and e-leaflets

Ensure Europe-wide recognition of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) criteria in the scope of tender procurement to encourage continued innovation and incentivise more manufacturers and suppliers to establish sustainable business models

Develop a mechanism for exchanging vaccine supplies from one Member State to another to address outbreaks

E-Health can improve the implementation of national vaccination programmes

Did you know

Immunisation Information Systems (IIS) are proven as an integral part of well-functioning health systems and are now being implemented (or piloted) throughout the EU4

IIS promote patient engagement and citizen empowerment through the use of automatic reminders, provider assessments, and online access to official immunisation records5

Vaccine registries can identify gaps in vaccine uptake in the population, and facilitate communication to at-risk groups

What Europe can do

Strengthen European disease surveillance capabilities to better assess infectious disease patterns, vaccines benefit/risks and the impact of vaccination across all ages

Support Member States willing to implement IIS to monitor vaccination uptake rates (e.g. through European Structural Funds)

Develop a common EU citizen vaccination card with standardised information on vaccination history, which could also greatly contribute to facilitating the interpretation of vaccination records and ensuring continuity of immunisation across borders

Ensure coordination between health and digital policies and other initiatives, in particular IIS should be considered as a format for exchange of electronic health records

The 2018 EU Council Recommendation asks that EU countries develop the capacity of healthcare institutions to have electronic information on the vaccination status of European citizens and align ways of collecting and processing the data6
Countries and Immunisation Information Systems

Conclusion

EU leaders have a critical role to play by building on the 2017-2019 momentum on vaccination and supporting the implementation of the goals laid out in the Council Recommendation in the EU Member States. Vaccines Europe welcomes the EU vaccination initiatives and encourages public authorities together with all stakeholders to implement them. This will ensure vaccination remains the cornerstone of a successful prevention policy in Europe, which can protect all European citizens against vaccine-preventable diseases.


Sources:
1. Vaccines Europe (2018). Statement on the EU Council Recommendation on strengthening cooperation against vaccine-preventable diseases. Available here (Accessed: 15th December 2018)
2. Vaccines Europe (2017). Potential labelling/packaging improvements to facilitate vaccine supply. Available here (Accessed: 15th September 2018)
3. Vaccines Europe (2016). The European Vaccine Industry in Figures. Available here (Accessed: 25th September 2018)
4. ECDC (2017). Immunisation Information Systems in the EU and EEA. Available here Accessed: (7th November 2018)
5. Council of the European Union (2017) Draft Council conclusions on Health in the Digital Society – making progress in data-driven innovation in the field of health. Available here (Accessed: 5th January 2019)
6. Council of the EU (2018). Council Recommendation on strengthened cooperation against vaccine-preventable diseases. Available here (Accessed: 15th January 2019)