The Bioethics Committee of the Council of Europe published, on Friday 22 January, a series of recommendations (https://bit.ly/2Mgaayc ) aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccination during the current Covid-19 pandemic and future pandemics.
The recommendations include: - logistical and administrative strategies adapted to all citizens, including those who are systematically disadvantaged in access to health care; - the strengthening of transparency, information and communication, which are essential for building trust.
The Committee recalls the standards of the European Pharmacopoeia (EDQM) (https://bit.ly/3sNjP07 ) on pharmaceutical efficacy and safety and refers to the Medicrime Convention (https://bit.ly/366nVXp ) designed to prevent and combat the counterfeiting of medical products.
It also emphasises the Oviedo Convention (https://bit.ly/3obZpdA ) which requires the 29 States party to the Convention to “take measures to ensure equitable access to health care of appropriate quality, taking into account needs and available resources” and with respect for fundamental rights. This involves prioritising and ensuring that all people in the target groups are vaccinated if approved vaccines are scarce. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)