Infectious diseases threaten the health of the citizens of the European Union. The responsibility for preventing the transmission of emerging pathogens and the resurgence of others, as well as enhancing the rapid and coordinated response capability to these threats, is therefore shared by national health authorities and the European Institutions.
Vaccination is unquestionably one of the most cost-effective public health measures available to protect citizens against infectious diseases. The wide-spread implementation of vaccination has led to the eradication of smallpox and has made Europe polio-free. All EU Member States have organised immunisation programmes to protect their citizens against serious, sometimes life-threatening diseases. Yet, some vaccines remain undervalued and under-utilised.
Therefore, the EU works together with the Member States to strengthen the advocacy on the benefits of immunisation against diseases where safe and effective vaccines are available. More specifically, the EU supports the Member States in areas such as immunisation of children against priority vaccine preventable diseases (for example measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae b, hepatitis B), immunisation against the human papilloma virus and immunisation against seasonal flu.
Links to the EU activities
Public health
- Surveillance of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases EUVAC.NET – Surveillance network for vaccine-preventable infectious diseases using epidemiological and laboratory surveillance and managerial methods
- VENICE project The Venice project aims to encourage collection and dissemination of knowledge and best practice relating to vaccination and to further develop collaboration and partnership between Member States
- Disease prevention Information on the work of the ECDC to reinforce Europe's defences against infectious diseases by pooling European health knowledge and fostering cooperation
- Vaccines against human papilloma virus (HPV) In combination with an organised population-wide quality assured cervical cancer screening programme, vaccination against HPV can help to further reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. Information on cooperation at EU level against cervical cancer.
EC Health Indicators
- Vaccination coverage in children Data on the percentage of infants fully vaccinated against against major diseases
European Health Information
- Childhood vaccinations Data on childhood vaccinations
Research
- Vaccines for poverty-related diseases EU research to develop new drugs and vaccines for HIV, malaria and tubercolosis
- Improving the health of the poor EU policy for developing integrated programmes and cooperation to tackle poverty-related diseases
- European and developing countries - clinical trials partnership EU initiatives to develop new medical products to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in poor countries
Sources
http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/care_for_me/vaccinations/index_en.htm
