EESC opinion on Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers

Table of Contents

• 1. Conclusions and recommendations 4
• 1.1 The EESC welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers as an important initiative in the overall range of measures to beat cancer. The EESC highlights the importance of a comprehensive appr... 4
• 1.2 While health issues belong to the competence of Member States and each country needs a national programme of its own, the EESC encourages intensive cooperation between Member States, supported by the Commission. Sharing of experience and good prac... 4
• 1.3 The uptake of vaccinations should be promoted by enhancing both the demand and supply. The EESC highlights the need for proper information, education and communication in encouraging the target groups to get vaccinated and underlines the role of t... 4
• 1.4 Fighting misinformation and disinformation is an essential part of proper communication. The EESC calls for strong efforts to be put into acquiring science-based evidence, as well as into spreading engaging and fact-based information through diffe... 4
• 1.5 General practitioners, family doctors and school physicians play an important role in providing proper information, decreasing fears and scepticism and guiding people to take vaccinations. The EESC also sees a role for the wide variety of civil so... 4
• 1.6 The EESC emphasises the need for gender equality in cancer prevention measures and calls for providing HPV vaccination to all girls and boys of a certain age, a practice which has already been adopted by many Member States. It is also important to... 4
• 1.7 The EESC also highlights the importance of easy access to vaccination in terms of geographic location, as well as the need for focused action to reach people from various disadvantaged groups and people with specific risks. 4
• 2. General comments 4
• 2.1 The EESC welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers as a follow-up initiative to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan (the Cancer Plan), which is a central pillar of the European Health Union. W... 4
• 2.2 As stressed in its opinion on the Cancer Plan , the EESC finds it crucial to pay due attention to and focus efforts on cancer prevention measures, given that about 40% of cancer cases are deemed preventable. Vaccination plays an important role her... 5
• 2.3 Besides helping save lives and avoid human suffering, cancer prevention is also an economic matter, by saving treatment and care costs and other resources. This is ever more important, given that there is increasing need for these resources due to... 5
• 2.4 The EESC reiterates its view on the vital importance of a comprehensive approach to beating cancer and calls for ensuring a well-functioning and integrated system of prevention in all its forms, including primary prevention (vaccination, healthy l... 5
• 2.5 The EESC emphasises that vaccinations do not eliminate the need for screenings, which are a vital element of beating cancer. Screenings must constantly be boosted to ensure the early detection and diagnosis of cancer, thus enabling more cure optio... 5
• 2.6 While health issues belong to the competence of Member States and each country needs a national programme of its own, the EESC considers cooperation between Member States, supported by the Commission, to be of utmost importance. This applies, on o... 5
• 2.7 The uptake of vaccinations is dependent on the availability and accessibility of vaccinations and the participation of those eligible for them. The relevant promotion measures vary accordingly. The participation of the target groups can be promote... 5
• 2.8 To encourage and increase participation in vaccination, the EESC endorses strengthening the information and communication activities, supported by the Commission. In this respect, spreading knowledge on vaccination and increasing awareness and con... 6
• 2.9 It is also useful to coordinate monitoring and establish electronic vaccination data registries, in compliance with the GDPR, to have proper knowledge on the vaccination situation across the EU. This helps all actors focus targeted measures – both... 6
• 2.10 From individuals’ point of view, the EESC calls for integrating vaccination data into digital health data to provide EU citizens with easy access to their overall vaccination history, as is the case with covid vaccinations. The EESC also encourag... 6
• 2.11 To enhance the supply of vaccinations, the EESC endorses the support for implementing the recommendations through applicable EU funding such as the EU4Health Programme, the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund+. Moreove... 6
• 2.12 The EESC acknowledges the Commission’s approach for actions to have a solid scientific basis and calls for intensive investment in research and innovation for beating cancer. This is particularly important for the development of vaccines where gr... 6
• 2.13 Moreover, the EESC reiterates its call for encouraging and facilitating practical cooperation such as the cross-border mobility of personnel and the cross-border use of expertise for both treatment and prevention purposes, including vaccinations. 6
• 2.14 Due attention must also be paid to the implementation of global objectives and targets. For example, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 calls for combating hepatitis and other communicable diseases. The EU has a two-sided role here... 7
• 3. Specific comments 7
• 3.1 The EESC is concerned about the low share of health spending dedicated to prevention by the Member States, as it may backfire over time and lead to ever increasing treatment costs. Big differences in the vaccination coverage rates between and with... 7
• 3.2 Considering that many Member States are well below the targets set for HPV and HBV vaccinations and given that there is also a significant lack of data on vaccination rates, urgent action is needed to improve the situation. By and large, the EESC ... 7
• 3.3 The EESC finds it useful for Member States to consider HPV and HBV vaccinations as part of their overall national vaccination programmes. On the other hand, the EESC supports the integration of HPV and HBV vaccination in the cancer prevention prog... 7
• 3.4 While endorsing the provision of vaccination free of charge and/or fully reimbursing related costs for those for whom vaccination is recommended, the EESC stresses that adequate and timely information on the availability and benefits of vaccinatio... 7
• 3.5 With regard to achieving the 90% EU target for the vaccination of girls against HPV by 2030 and a significant increase in the vaccination of boys, the EESC emphasises the need to strive for gender equality in terms of setting and implementing targ... 7
• 3.6 To enhance equal opportunities for the sexes in cancer prevention, the EESC calls for providing HPV vaccination to all girls and boys of a certain age, a practice which has already been adopted by many Member States. Communication on the availabil... 7
• 3.7 Member States need to accurately define in their vaccination programmes the age at which the HPV vaccination is provided and how to act in situations where a young person has not received the vaccination at that age. It must also be defined how to... 8
• 3.8 As the HPV vaccination is provided at school age, the target group is easily reached by the school healthcare system. As the parents’ consent is needed for the vaccination of minors, it is important to develop smooth consent practices. For example... 8
• 3.9 As for HBV vaccination, the situation is more diversified with respect to the target groups, starting from newborns and covering people of all ages. Member States therefore need to define and precisely communicate who is eligible for free vaccinat... 8
• 3.10 The EESC agrees on the important role of discussing national approaches and sharing the best practices between Member States regarding the practical implementation of vaccinations. This not only helps improve the absolute vaccination situation bu... 8
• 3.11 Given the significant differences in vaccination rates between EU countries, educational activities should be intensified to show the benefits of HPV/HBV vaccination, including its cancer risk-reducing effect. Together with information on how to ... 8
• 3.12 For general communication purposes, the EESC finds it important for the Member States to provide simple information on the national practices, to be found on a dedicated and easily accessible website. It should include information on groups eligi... 8
• 3.13 Furthermore, targeted communication campaigns should be devoted to specific groups such as young people and parents by using relevant channels, including social media. It is particularly important to improve knowledge and awareness of the importa... 8
• 3.14 To ensure that messages are attractive for younger people, the EESC advocates enhancing information efforts through youth-led organisations such as student CSOs. Such strategic collaborations and engaging, fact-based communication are pivotal in ... 8
• 3.15 General practitioners and family doctors play an important role in increasing the health literacy of the population by providing proper information, decreasing fears and scepticism and guiding people to get vaccinated. On top of the central role ... 9
• 3.16 To support a comprehensive approach to cancer prevention, civil society organisations can also help decrease cancer risks by boosting healthy lifestyles. All in all, health-promoting activities should cover, besides provision of health-related in... 9
• 3.17 Following the general and specific comments in chapters 2 and 3, the EESC proposes the following detailed modifications to the recommended points: 9
• Add a new point after point 1: Provide simple and understandable information on the HPV and HBV vaccinations on an easily accessible website, including a precise description of groups eligible for free vaccination and information on the benefits of va... 9
• Add to the end of point 2: ‘…including through healthy lifestyles. Involve and empower relevant civil society organisations to provide health-related information and to engage people in health-promoting activities, while ensuring the necessary experti... 9
• Add to the end of point 12: ‘…following the principle of gender equality.’ 9