EU Mulls Strategy for Emergency Vaccination

European Union (EU) officials have outlined a strategy for mass vaccination in the event of an epidemic, which will encourage private sector participation in boosting vaccine stocks. Nevertheless, the European Commission's Health Security Committee insists that the plans will not constitute a new opportunity for commercial interests.

At present, the plans envisage measures to enable private manufacturing facilities to be rapidly converted to the production of vaccines against influenza, although future proposals could include therapies for HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases. EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou notes that a forthcoming meeting in Paris next month will only seek a consensus between the private sector and EU bodies on the issue. The commissioner further insisted that the discussion will not revisit the subject of expanding existing arrangements on mass influenza inoculation for vulnerable groups such as the elderly.