Criteria for inclusion of vaccinations in public programmes

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 28; no. 17; pp. 2924 - 2931
• Main Authors: Houweling, Hans, Verweij, Marcel, Ruitenberg, E. Joost
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 09.04.2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Applied microbiology; Assessment framework; Biological and medical sciences; Children & youth; Communicable Diseases - epidemiology; Decision making; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Policy; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Programs; Meningitis; Microbiology; National Immunisation Programme (NIP); Netherlands; Public concern; Public vaccination programmes; Selection criteria; Teenagers; Vaccines; Vaccines - administration & dosage; Vaccines - immunology; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Netherlands; Assessment framework; Public vaccination programmes; National Immunisation Programme (NIP); Selection criteria; Immunization; Vaccination; Vaccine
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.021

Abstract As more and more new vaccines are developed and brought to the market, governments have to make decisions about which vaccinations to include in public programmes. This paper describes the experience in the Netherlands in developing a framework for assessing whether a vaccination should be included in the National Immunization Programme (NIP). Bearing in mind the public nature, the factors that determine a vaccine's suitability for inclusion in a communal vaccination programme have been translated into seven selection criteria, grouped under five thematic headings: seriousness and extent of the disease burden, effectiveness and safety of the vaccination, acceptability of the vaccination, efficiency of the vaccination, and priority of the vaccination. The seven criteria and the explanation of them provide a framework for the systematic examination of arguments for and against the inclusion and prioritisation of particular vaccinations. As an illustration, the vaccinations currently provided in the Netherlands through public programmes as well as 23 ‘candidate’ vaccinations are assessed against the seven criteria. The proposed assessment framework including the selection criteria can take full account of the values and specificities as they may differ between situations and countries; the transparency of the approach may help to clarify which elements of the assessment are pivotal in specific situations. Using the criteria furthers a trustworthy, transparent and accountable process of decision-making about inclusion of new vaccinations in public vaccination programmes and may help to retain public confidence.