Non-specific effects of vaccines: in context

P Fine, D Elliman - 2010 - adc.bmj.com
P Fine, D Elliman
2010adc.bmj.com
Paul Fine, 1 David Elliman2 considered when a country is selecting a schedule. 2 This
resolution has led to projects for strengthening of national and regional vaccine advisory
bodies, which must wrestle with the practical problems of optimising schedules in individual
countries and, more recently, to a programme of research on optimising vaccine schedules
(see for example http:\\www. sivacinitiative. org and http://www. newswire.
ca/en/releases/archive/July2008/30/c8412. html). 3 Proper consideration of schedules …
Paul Fine, 1 David Elliman2 considered when a country is selecting a schedule. 2 This resolution has led to projects for strengthening of national and regional vaccine advisory bodies, which must wrestle with the practical problems of optimising schedules in individual countries and, more recently, to a programme of research on optimising vaccine schedules (see for example http:\\www. sivacinitiative. org and http://www. newswire. ca/en/releases/archive/July2008/30/c8412. html). 3
Proper consideration of schedules raises many issues: availability of vaccine products, local epidemiological conditions, local health infrastructure and the need to link other interventions (such as micronutrients and malaria prophylaxis) to vaccination schedules, all of which should, ideally, be considered in the context of cost–benefit optimisation. All these factors need to be considered in designing immunisation programmes, not just as yet unproven non-specific effects.
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