Vaccines Europe Undertakes Its First Regulatory Evaluation

With 100 vaccine candidates as of July 2022, Vaccines Europe has released its first pipeline evaluation of the 15 firms that make up its membership.

The analysis uncovered a pipeline that uses a variety of new technology platforms to address present and upcoming problems like antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and respiratory tract infections. According to the data, 46% of the vaccine ideas are directed at illnesses for which there isn’t a vaccine yet. A fundamental shift to a life-course strategy for vaccination is also required, as 80% of the vaccine candidates are directed at the adult population. According to the paper, the COVID-19 vaccinations serve as a powerful reminder that planning is essential.

Four steps from the pipeline review to safeguard adults from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination

• Assure ongoing financing and include adult immunisation in national immunisation programmes.
• Raise the level of knowledge about the advantages of adult immunisation among the general public and medical professionals.
• Improve adult immunisation convenience and access.
• Create online vaccination records to increase immunisation rates.

According to Vaccinations Europe, despite the availability of new vaccines over the past five years, European Union (EU) Member States have only made modest investments in their immunisation programmes.

Currently, a thorough routine immunisation programme can avert about 20 malignancies and linked infectious diseases that are both life-threatening and debilitating at every stage of life. Inequitable access to vaccines across the EU, low uptake, and vaccine hesitancy, particularly for adolescent and adult immunizations, were shown to be the results of 77% of the States spending less than 0.5% of their healthcare expenditure on immunisation.

According to the evaluation of the vaccination pipeline, access to the vaccine market varies across Europe. A third of states have vaccine access wait times longer than six years, and most states’ vaccine procurement processes don’t promote fair competition, prompt vaccine access, or long-term supply.

The analysis found that whereas children’s vaccination schedules are well-established throughout Europe, adult immunisation programmes are not. As a result, country preparedness to prioritise and effectively implement adult immunisation programmes must be tackled as a matter of paramount concern. According to Vaccines Europe, in order to achieve the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030 and the European Beating Cancer Plan, certain activities must be undertaken. The organisation contends that when establishing Europe’s research ecosystem via amendment of the General Pharmaceutical Legislation, it is essential to take vaccine specificities into account.

Additional measures To make Europe appealing to the vaccine industry and guarantee that there is fairness in vaccination access to create resilient communities and healthcare systems, Vaccines Europe asks for early, open, and ongoing communication, collaboration, and collaboration among all stakeholders.