Hitting new heights: Improving vaccination uptake among patients with chronic conditions across Europe
About
The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a stark reminder about the importance of immunisation. This is especially true for individuals with chronic conditions, who are at greater risk of severe illness from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Despite this, vaccine uptake among patients with long-term health conditions across Europe remains concerningly low. No EU Member State has reached the WHO/Europe influenza vaccine uptake target of 75% for clinical risk groups, despite it being set in 2010.
As such, understanding the common barriers and finding meaningful solutions to improve vaccine coverage in at-risk groups across Europe is crucial. Our research aims to identify these challenges and present recommendations to policymakers, healthcare workers and voluntary organisations throughout Europe.
It is imperative that everyone has access to immunisation to help ensure better health and greater longevity.
This project has been conducted in partnership with the Coalition for Life-course Immunisation.
Past events
Report launch: Hitting new heights: Improving vaccination uptake among patients with chronic conditions across Europe
Date: Thursday, 3 February 2022
Time: 1.00pm – 2.30pm GMT (2.00pm – 3.30pm CET)
Location: Zoom webinar
At this webinar, we launched the final report of this project: Hitting new heights: Improving vaccination uptake among patients with chronic conditions across Europe, produced in partnership with the Coalition for Life-course Immunisation (CLCI).
This event was chaired by Dr Daphné Holt (Chair, CLCI).
Speakers included:
- MEP Cyrus Engerer (Member, Parliamentary Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety)
- François Houÿez (Treatment Information and Access Director & Health Policy Advisor, European Organisation for Rare Diseases)
- Mariano Votta (Director, Active Citizenship Network)
- Sibilia Quilici (Executive Director, Vaccines Europe)
- Susanna Palkonen (Director, European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations)
- Patrick Swain (Research and Projects Officer, ILC and report author)
Working lunch: Improving vaccination uptake among patients with chronic conditions across Europe
Date: Tuesday, 12 October 2021
Time: 12.30pm – 3.00pm CEST
Location: Brussels, Belgium
At this working lunch, we showcased a discussion paper looking at the current practices, barriers and opportunities for immunisation among patients with chronic conditions across Europe.
This discussion will be used to inform a set of policy recommendations for a final report, aimed at advising policymakers, healthcare organisations and patient charities on how to improve vaccine uptake among risk groups in Europe.
This event was chaired by Daphné Holt (Chair of the Coalition for Life-course Immunisation) and Kate Pierpoint (Head of Projects at ILC). The discussion paper was presented by (Patrick Swain, Research and Projects Officer at ILC).
News
Think tank urges European policy makers to act now to increase routine vaccination for citizens with chronic medical conditions
The Coalition for Life-course Immunisation (CLCI) and the International Longevity Centre-UK (ILC) urges policymakers, healthcare professionals and charities across the EU to address “concerningly low” vaccination uptake among Europeans living with chronic conditions. Published today, the Hitting new heights report calls for more action to ensure people at greater risk have better information and access to vaccination.
Publications
Through conversations with European policy makers, charities and healthcare experts, this report has identified the main barriers affecting uptake of routine immunisation and outlines recommendations for stakeholders at a local, national and EU level.
We have also produced a discussion paper, which was presented during our working lunch on 12 October. Please see a shortened ‘Fact pack’ version of the paper below.
To access the full paper, please email Patrick Swain.
We want to hear from you
If you would like to get involved in this project or have any questions, please contact Patrick Swain.