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The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) fully
supports the Recommendation of the Council of the European Union on
strengthened cooperation against vaccine-preventable diseases which was
adopted in December 2018.
As outlined in the Council Recommendation, healthcare workers
play a crucial role in working towards the goal of improved vaccination
coverage. Patients, visitors and healthcare workers who are not vaccinated
can spread infections such as measles or the flu to very ill patients in our
hospitals. Vaccinations reduce, for us all, the need to be admitted to the
hospital for the treatment of preventable illnesses. To protect patients who
find themselves in critical health situations and to help ourselves stay
healthy, hospital pharmacists recommend vaccination wherever possible.
Healthcare workers have an increased risk of contracting
infections at work and thus further transmitting them to colleagues and
patients. Vaccinated healthcare workers are not only protecting themselves
but they also act as a barrier against the spread of infections. One might
say it is the ethical duty of every healthcare worker to get vaccinated and
should be compulsory, unless contraindicated.
An investment is also needed in the education and training of
healthcare workers, in particular in the hospital sector where patients in
acute situations are cared for. To ensure adequate levels of patient and
healthcare workers safety training on vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccinology
and immunisation should be strengthened at both undergraduate and
post-graduate level. Consequently, EAHP calls on national governments to
offer healthcare workers opportunities for continuing education and training
on vaccination.
Vaccine hesitancy, especially that influenced by misconceptions
that still exist and prevent parents from vaccinating their children, is a
concern to EAHP. Consequently, the Association welcomes the European
Commission’s intention to counter online vaccine misinformation and develop
evidence-based information tools and guidance to support Member States in
responding to increased rates of vaccine hesitancy.
As indicated in the Council Recommendation, vaccine shortages
have direct consequences for the delivery and implementation of national
vaccination programmes. The 2018 Medicines Shortages Survey Report1 of the EAHP identified preventative medicines – such as vaccines
– as the second highest reported medication in shortage in the hospital
setting. In 2018, 43% of participating hospital pharmacists from 38 different
European countries underlined shortages problems with vaccines for Hepatitis
B, Pneumococcal, Tuberculosis, Tetanus and Hepatitis A.
Reports on the shortage of preventative medicines increased since
EAHP’s last survey in 2014 by 13%. Consequently, the EAHP would like to
encourage all European institutions to tackle the growing problem of vaccine
shortages. In particular, an investigation into the factors causing medicines
shortages should be initiated and solutions in solving preventable shortages
should be provided. European level coordination is especially crucial in the
first half of 2019 since new regulations aiming at combating counterfeit
drugs and Brexit might impact the availability of medicines such as
vaccines.
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