[Editorial] How are vaccine recommendations made?
Summary
The recent meningitis outbreak in Kent, UK, put vaccine policy into the headlines once again. Why are adolescents not vaccinated with the meningitis B (MenB) vaccine? Why is this not part of the routine vaccination programme in the UK, nor in other countries? The outbreak and its associated mortality and morbidity, as well as a massive public health response, could have been prevented. At the heart of this dilemma l…
The recent meningitis outbreak in Kent, UK, put vaccine policy into the headlines once again. Why are adolescents not vaccinated with the meningitis B (MenB) vaccine? Why is this not part of the routine vaccination programme in the UK, nor in other countries? The outbreak and its associated mortality and morbidity, as well as a massive public health response, could have been prevented. At the heart of this dilemma lies how vaccine recommendations are made. Just having a vaccine approved is not enough.