October 14, 2022 – 07:04
The Health Council recommends not including meningococcal B vaccination in the National Immunization Program (RVP) for the time being. The number of cases of the disease is currently low, vaccination has relatively many side effects and does not lead to group protection. For this reason, there are still not enough reasons to offer vaccination to all children. Individual parents can choose to have their child vaccinated outside the PIN. The Council writes this to the Secretariat of State for Health, Welfare and Sport.
Meningococcus B (MenB) is a very serious disease that can lead to meningitis and blood poisoning and can be fatal. This is one reason to consider vaccinating children and adolescents against this disease via the NIP. As there is new data from the previous 2018 opinion, the Health Council has reconsidered this assessment. The Council notes that the number of cases of the disease is relatively low. In the first half of 2022 there were 6 cases of the disease among young children and 15 among adolescents. To reduce this number, 175,000 children a year would need to be vaccinated. It is difficult to say exactly how effective vaccination is, because the disease is rare. The effectiveness in the Dutch situation is estimated to be between 70 and 80%. Vaccination does not lead to group protection. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of vaccination is very unfavorable, since the number of cases of the disease is low, the price of the vaccine is high and multiple doses are needed. Compared to other vaccinations, vaccination produces relatively many temporary side effects, especially in young children, such as high fever. This often leads to hospitalization and medical intervention. The Council therefore advises not to include vaccination against MenB in the NIP for the time being. Currently, vaccination against MenB is already offered to some medical risk groups. Outside of the NIP, people may have reasons to want the MenB vaccination. It is therefore important that the vaccination is known and accessible, so that people can choose for themselves. There may be reasons to reconsider this advice in the future, for example if the number of cases increases, the vaccine becomes much cheaper or a new vaccine is introduced.
Situation
Previous advice on meningococcal vaccination:
Source: Health Council
Medicalfacts / Janine budding
I studied physiotherapy and health business economics. In addition, they are a registered independent customer support and informal support broker. I have a lot of experience in various positions in the healthcare sector, the social sector and the medical and pharmaceutical industry, nationally and internationally. And have extensive medical knowledge of most specialties in the healthcare sector. And the health laws by which health care is regulated and financed. Every year I attend most of the major medical conferences in Europe and America to keep my knowledge up to date and to keep up with the latest developments and innovations. I am currently attending a Masters in Applied Psychology.
My posts on this blog do not reflect an employer’s strategy, policy or direction, nor are they the work of or for a client or employer.
