Strategies for decision-making on vaccine use: the French experience

Expert Rev Vaccines. 2015 Jul;14(7):917-22. doi: 10.1586/14760584.2015.1035650. Epub 2015 Apr 25.

Abstract

France enjoys benefits of a good organization of its healthcare system. National Health Insurance is reimbursing vaccines if they are used according to the national recommendation guidelines. Vaccination is the responsibility of the government, advised by its National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (Comité Technique des vaccinations). But France, like many other countries, faces insufficient involvement from the public in immunization programs and, consequently, numerous outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. The French government launched a 5-year national program for improvement in vaccination policy in 2012 to simplify the guidelines, facilitate access to vaccination, invest in research and evaluate its vaccine policy. The role of the public and healthcare professionals to encourage vaccination is crucial for the future.

Keywords: France; health policy; immunization guidelines; recommendations; vaccination; vaccine-preventable diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Communicable Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Decision Making*
  • France / epidemiology
  • Health Policy
  • Humans
  • Immunization Programs / organization & administration*
  • Vaccination / methods*
  • Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Vaccines / immunology*

Substances

  • Vaccines