About: child immunisation

Sudden spike in number of measles cases in Europe, highest death toll in Serbia

The first six months of 2018 have seen a sudden increase in the number of measles cases in Europe with at least 37 deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.

Pharma expert: Combination vaccines reduce the cost of outbreaks and treatments

The use of combination vaccines can bring about better vaccine coverage and this will improve protection of the public against vaccine-preventable diseases, reduce costs for treatment of these diseases and help prevent outbreaks that would otherwise occur, Mel Kohn told EURACTIV.com.

MEP: Europe must unlock the potential of combination vaccines

Multicomponent or combined vaccines are an indispensable tool to address the current public health challenges and Europe should, therefore, help unlock their potential, said Swedish MEP Christofer Fjellner.

What is the potential of combination vaccines?

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Reaping the full benefits of vaccination

Vaccination is one of the most powerful and cost-effective public health measures developed in the 20th century. But unless Europe shifts towards a life-course approach and ensures equitable access for everyone, vaccination policies will fall short of achieving their full potential, writes Patricia Massetti.  

How Italy’s scientific community joined forces and shaped national vaccination plan

If the scientific community sticks together and makes a coordinated effort, it can be very influential in shaping national vaccination plans, Italian professor Paolo Bonanni told EURACTIV.com, citing Italy as a prime example.

Commission could play greater role in harmonising vaccines supply, industry says

The European Commission could play a decisive role in further harmonising the regulatory framework of vaccines and therefore avoid delays in the supply of vaccines in case of shortages or emergencies, Vaccines Europe told EURACTIV.com. 

MEP: Vaccination is a lifelong process, not only for children

Parents have a particular responsibility to protect their children, as they are more vulnerable to infections, but vaccination should be seen as a lifelong approach that applies to adults too, centre-right MEP Renate Sommer told EURACTIV.com.

Commission backs electronic immunisation record to manage vaccination

The European Commission supports the creation of an electronic immunisation record system that will help EU member states enhance their cross-border cooperation and simultaneously enhance prevention of infectious diseases.

EU budget: When contradictions cost lives

As the European Parliament is voting today on the draft EU’s budget for 2016 in Strasbourg, member states are pushing for cuts to programmes to fight extreme poverty, writes Tamira Gunzburg.

Civil registration: Africa’s greatest development failure holds key to her success

For decades, Africa’s inability to count – and account to – its population has held back the continent’s development. This no longer needs to be the case, writes Cornelius Williams.

Merkel’s ‘vaccine summit’ raises $7.5 billion

Over the next five years, international vaccine alliance GAVI hopes to immunise 300 million children against preventable diseases, with the German government pledging €600 million for the project. But NGOs warned that most of the money will end up pocketed by pharma giants. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU punching below its weight on global health issues

SPECIAL REPORT: The Ebola crisis and immunisation campaigns in Africa have demonstrated the EU's added value in addressing global health issues. But there is still potential to improve if EU countries were less "suspicious" of each other, health experts say.

Germany’s 2015 budget leaves overseas aid ‘by the wayside’

The Bundestag's 2015 budget plan includes a €1.8 million increase in funds for development cooperation. However, civil society organisations are criticising the sum as being marginal, calling for a considerably larger increase. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Berlin panel: vaccines save lives and economies

An estimated 1.5 million children will die from preventable diseases this year because they do not have access to vaccinations. At a June 25 workshop hosted by EURACTIV Germany, experts discussed current opportunities and challenges for health development in the world's poorest countries. EURACTIV.de reports

Giving immunisation efforts a booster

Since 2000, 440 million children have been immunised against preventable diseases – and an estimated 6 million deaths have been avoided. But 22.6 million children are still not vaccinated and 1.5 million children under-5-years-old die annually from preventable diseases. Changing this picture may require action, not least on vaccine prices.

EU hails landmark Indian victory against polio

European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs has hailed the milestone passed by India on 13 January when it marked three years since its last reported polio case, the threshold for certifying a country free of the disease. 

Rising costs pose challenge for poor nations’ vaccinations

SPECIAL REPORT / Rising drug costs and supply uncertainty threaten efforts to achieve universal immunisation after decades of steady progress in vaccinating African infants against crippling and deadly diseases, health workers say.