European Health Ministers adopted a non-binding recommendation on Friday 7 December in which they undertook to support vaccination in conjunction with the European Commission and relevant stakeholders.
This recommendation follows a proposal presented by the European Commission in April 2018 to address the low vaccination rate in Europe and the reluctance to receive vaccines (see EUROPE 12010). However, it makes some minor changes, mainly to allow more flexibility for Member States. For example, instead of recommending developing the capacity of health care institutions to have up-to-date electronic information on the vaccination status of citizens, the Council's final text merely "explores the possibility” of such an option.
For the rest, the document recommends that Member States: - achieve a vaccination coverage rate of "at least 95%" to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases, in particular measles; - introduce routine checks on vaccination status and regular opportunities for vaccination at different life stages.
Satisfied pharmacists. The PGEU (Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union) welcomed the adoption of the recommendation. For the organisation, pharmacists can play a key role in improving vaccination coverage in the EU.
According to statistics, 215,000 cases of vaccine-preventable diseases, including influenza, were identified in Europe between 2008 and 2015, and more than three-quarters of people who suffered from measles last year were not vaccinated. The report is available at: https://bit.ly/2zU40eD. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)