Vaccination

(asked on 1st June 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to undertake a full public consultation before implementing a change to an immunisation programme which the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advises might result in an increase in cases of infectious disease.


Answered by
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine
This question was answered on 6th June 2018

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides independent expert advice on the United Kingdom immunisation programme. It bases its recommendations on review of a wide range of scientific and other evidence, including from the published literature, and commissioned studies such as independent analyses of vaccine effectiveness and cost effectiveness. The JCVI can consult with stakeholders on its proposed advice, such as the recent stakeholder consultation on proposed changes to the pneumococcal vaccination schedule, undertaken between January and April 2018.

It would not be appropriate for the Government to make an open ended commitment to undertake full public consultations. The JCVI is well placed to carry out stakeholder consultation to ensure the latest and most appropriate evidence has been considered on potential changes to scheduling within the vaccine programme, including identifying who to target to obtain the evidence it needs to inform its advice. Its advice would take into account the public health arguments related to a potential a change such as the potential impact on cases of infectious disease.

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