EMA recommends restricting use in persons under 20 years of age Pandemrix to be used only in the absence of seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines, following link to very rare cases of narcolepsy in young people. Overall benefit-risk remains positive.
On 21 July 2011 the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued its opinion on the review of Pandemrix® and reports on narcolepsy. The CHMP recommended that in persons under 20 years of age Pandemrix® may only be used if the recommended seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine is not available and if immunisation against H1N1 is still needed (e.g. in persons at risk of the complications of infection).
This indicator allows for construction of UNGASS indicator No 16: percentage of adults aged 15-49 who had sex with more than one sexual partner in the past 12 months.
During the Informal Meeting of Ministers of Health, 5-6th July, ECDC Director Marc Sprenger gives a speech presenting evidence of health inequalities in the EU, as well as several options for intervention.
ECDC has previously summarised information concerning the appearance of narcolepsy following the use of a specific pandemic vaccine (Pandemrix®) in children and adolescents in three European Countries.
This page includes indicators proposed for behavioural surveillance in Europe, providing definitions of each indicator and relevant references and web resources. Two groups of indicators are proposed: 1) Core Common Indicators that are to be used with all populations, and 2) Secondary and/or population-specific indicators.
European Union countries face the challenge of how to best allocate limited resources in healthcare protection and disease prevention to achieve maximum results. Measurement of the burden of diseases provides important evidence for health policy formulation.