March 21, 2014

expert reaction to decision on meningitis B vaccine

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended to government that a vaccine for meningitis B should be introduced in the UK.

Dr Jethro Herberg, Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London, said:

“No one wants to be the first or the last person to use a medicine, but the UK has an admirable track record of being in the vanguard of timely introduction of new vaccines, just as with the Meningitis C vaccine.  The scientific evidence solidly supports the introduction of this new Men B vaccine, and this is the right time to do it.  I fully support this decision in the hope that it will save lives and prevent severe illness.”

Christopher Head, Chief Executive of the Meningitis Research Foundation, said:

“MenB has been at the top of this charity’s agenda for decades and we are delighted that vaccinating all babies against this most feared and deadly disease has now been recommended.  Last July the JCVI invited MRF to respond to their interim statement that the vaccine would not be cost effective.  We submitted evidence to show that the impact of the disease on people affected was underestimated, and provided further data on the cost of this illness.  This has been taken into account by the committee in their statement issued today.  We are delighted that the response we submitted has had an impact, and the voice of people affected has been heard.”

“It’s a wonderful outcome which will save lives and spare countless families the trauma of seeing a loved one seriously disabled by the devastating after effects of MenB.  The bitter experience of those who have suffered was vital in our campaign for this vaccine, demonstrating the compelling case for prevention.  We pay tribute to them and pledge to continue supporting them.”

Dr Myron Christodoulides, Reader in Molecular Bacteriology and Microbiology at the University of Southampton, said:

“This is excellent news and introduction of this vaccine into the routine immunisation program will undoubtedly save lives and provide a true estimate of this vaccine’s efficacy.  We should view this ‘first-generation’ MenB vaccine as a major step towards eradication of MenB disease.”

Prof Adam Finn, Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said:

“This was a complex, difficult and brave decision with far reaching consequences not only for the control of meningococcal disease but also for future vaccine development against severe but rare infections.  In many ways it is a re-run of the decision to introduce MenC vaccine in 1999.  That was a resounding success story in which the UK led the world.  It will now be vital to measure the effects of this new vaccine to reconfirm expectations of its impact.

Professor Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Nottingham, said:

“This is great news for vulnerable children and for the scientific community.  This will bring us one milestone closer to the ideal vaccine, and provides an historic opportunity to study the impact of a protein-based vaccine on disease and carriage of a complex organism.

Dr Helen Bedford, Senior Lecturer in Children’s Health at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, said:

“Meningococcal B disease is very serious. It causes meningitis and septicaemia which can result in death or long term disability. Clearly its prevention is highly desirable and the vaccine would be welcomed by parents and health professionals alike.”

Dr David Elliman, immunisation expert at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said:

“The JCVI has recommended the introduction of the meningococcal vaccine for routine use in infants, if it can be obtained at a price that is cost-effective.  If this condition can be met, which we hope will happen soon, the decision will be universally welcomed.  Children’s lives will be saved and some children will be spared severe preventable disability.”