[ad_1]
The chairman of the German Standing Committee on Immunization (STIKO) again defended the advisory group’s decision not to approve adolescent vaccination. “We cannot make a general recommendation until we have the [medical] data, ”Thomas Mertens recently said in an interview.
So far, he said, there was insufficient data regarding potential health problems related to immunizing 12 to 17 year olds. Mertens added that STIKO could eventually change its mind and approve adolescent vaccination. But he wouldn’t, he said, as politicians are clamoring for that step.
STIKO director Thomas Mertens is a virologist
Instead, Mertens is urging as many young people between the ages of 18 and 59 as possible to get the jab. This, he said, would significantly reduce the severity of the fourth wave of coronavirus infection. “Vaccinating children may gain more media attention, but will be less epidemiologically effective.”
This is not the first time that the advisory body and German lawmakers have disagreed on how to handle the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier in the spring, STIKO said the Astra-Zeneca vaccine should only be given to certain age groups. He also recommended giving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to older cohorts only. German politicians, however, also approved the vaccine for young people.
What is STIKO?
The advisory body has existed for almost 50 years. STIKO was established in 1972 as a branch of the Federal Health Agency, a research institute dissolved in 1994. The committee was then transferred to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the German regulatory agency and disease prevention.
The RKI is part of the Federal Ministry of Health, which is headed by Minister of Health Jens Spahn of the ruling conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Although formally independent, the body is therefore not entirely immune to political pressure or influence.
STIKO establishes its own rules of procedure in consultation with the Ministry of Health and was last revised in 1994. It states that STIKO should perform “medico-epidemiological cost-benefit analyzes and focus on implementation issues. practical work “based on the latest scientific findings. .
The agency also only processes vaccines that have already been approved. The institution responsible for authorizing vaccines is the Paul Ehrlich Institute.
STIKO disseminates its recommendations via its epidemiological bulletin. Last published on July 8, it recommends immunizing children and adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 only in rare exceptions. He said vaccinations among this group are only advised in cases of pre-existing medical conditions, or if vulnerable family members cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
STIKO, however, added that children and adolescents can nonetheless receive the jab if their parents approve of it, provided everyone has been informed and accepted the potential risk involved.
Health Minister Jens Spahn calls on young Germans to get vaccinated
Research: impartial expertise
STIKO is an interdisciplinary body of 18 members, composed of experts from various fields such as tropical medicine, epidemiology, virology and microbiology. Many STIKO members are professors, although some are practicing physicians, while others have worked for state public health institutions. The role is unpaid.
The German Ministry of Health and the federal states jointly appoint the 18 members of STIKO for a period of three years. The current group will serve until 2023. Members are expected to listen only to their own conscience and are required to “perform their duties impartially”.
STIKO recommendations are just that: recommendations. They are not legally binding. Even so, STIKO’s advice is taken seriously by all German public health officials in every state. One of the reasons is to help ensure that each region has a consistent approach to vaccines. The agency’s expertise is also taken into account by the Federal Joint Committee, which meets to issue guidelines regarding German statutory health insurers and their medical services.
Infection Protection Act
In 2001, Germany passed the Protection Against Infection Act. It specifies, among other things, that STIKO must provide recommendations on the administration of vaccines as well as advice on the tolerability of vaccines. The law states that such advice must establish clear criteria that differentiate a vaccine that causes an unusual reaction or leads to unusually serious health complications.
Politicians have changed the law since the advent of the coronavirus crisis. The law now states that the advisory body must issue recommendations to help reduce the number of severe cases of COVID-19, curb infections and protect vulnerable groups, while ensuring that key organs of the State remain functional.
This article was translated from German
August 4, 2021: The title and introduction of this article has been corrected, to show that STIKO has not yet approved the vaccine for adolescents, not that they oppose it. DW regrets the error.
[ad_2]
Source link