Enhancing Pathways for Vaccine Assessments and National Decision-Making 

SUMMARY 

Vaccine assessment and decision-making pathways are a key component of immunisation systems. They determine which vaccines are included in National Immunisation Programmes and contribute to the resilience of health systems. Enhancing the design and functioning of these pathways can improve the timeliness of population access to vaccines, support the shift towards life course immunisation, and strengthen efforts to improve vaccine confidence – thereby strengthening immunisation systems as a whole. 

A unique research project by Vaccines Europe1 has highlighted a range of ways in which vaccine assessment and decision-making pathways can be enhanced. This policy paper emphasises the need to improve the timeliness, inclusiveness, consistency, and transparency of assessments/decision-making by public authorities, and makes the following recommendations for policy action at national and European level: 

4 Principles for Enhancing Vaccine Assessment and Decision-Making Pathways