1. Global Developments in Vaccine Pharmacovigilance -Activities in WHO

Abstract

Vaccines are one of the most successful stories in public health in human history. Currently, immunisation averts about 2.5 million deaths every year in the world. To obtain appropriate vaccination is one of the fundamental elements of the human rights on health and is regarded as the responsibility for citizens, communities and governments. Vaccines used for the national immunisation programmes are generally safe and effective when appropriately used. However, vaccination is never zero-risk as any pharmaceuticals and effective vaccines may produce some undesirable side effects. The success of national immunisation programme needs the public's confidence in vaccines, by monitoring risk-benefit balance of vaccines and providing relevant information through pharmacovigilance activities. Pharmaceuticals including vaccines achieve maximum advantage when they are appropriately used based on the sound understanding of their risks and benefits. Pharmacovigilance is defined by the WHO as “the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problem” and essential for accurate evaluation of risk-benefit balance of pharmaceuticals. The WHO pursues actions to increase vaccination coverage and aims to spur research and development of Dengue and Malaria vaccines. In addition, the elapsed time between introduction of new vaccines in developed countries and in developing countries is being shortened, and technical cooperation facilitate local manufacture of vaccines in developing countries. This results in increasing immunisation rate and administration of various vaccines including relatively new vaccines on a global mass scale. Under such circumstances with increasing importance of vaccine pharmacovigilance more than ever, the article outlines the global movements on vaccine pharmacovigilance, mainly focus on the WHO's activities.