Pharma Fears Over Rise Of Measles In Europe
Executive Summary
Despite a mountain of evidence backing vaccination, the huge leap in the cases of measles in Europe revealed in a WHO review is a major cause of concern for pharmaceutical companies and governments.
The pharmaceutical industry has expressed its worries over a report from the World Health Organization which has highlighted a surge in the number of cases of measles in Europe following lower MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination rates.
The WHO report stated that over 41,000 children and adults in Europe have been infected with measles in the first six months of 2018, a figure which "far exceeds the 12-month totals reported for every other year this decade." Monthly country reports also indicate that at least 37 people have died due to measles so far this year.
The highest annual total for measles cases between 2010 and 2017 was 23,927 last year and following the decade’s lowest number of cases in 2016, which was 5,273, "we are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks,” said Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe. “We call on all countries to immediately implement broad, context-appropriate measures to stop further spread of this disease. Good health for all starts with immunization, and as long as this disease is not eliminated we are failing to live up to our Sustainable Development Goal commitments.”
The WHO report noted that seven countries in the region have seen over 1,000 infections this year (France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Ukraine). The latter has been the hardest hit, with over 23,000 people affected, while measles-related deaths have been reported in all of these countries, with Serbia reporting the highest number of 14.
Vaccines Europe, a specialized group within the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, is also concerned at the dramatic increase in measles cases. The group's president, Pascale Mauran, who is also vice president, international developed markets, for vaccines commercial development at Pfizer Inc., told Scrip that "vaccines stand on a mountain of evidence and childhood vaccination is one of the greatest medical success stories of the 20th century and its benefits have been widely recognized and documented." She added that "Europe needs to address the decline in vaccination rates to ensure that European citizens are optimally protected."
The measles virus is exceptionally contagious and to prevent outbreaks, the WHO said that at least 95% immunization coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed every year in every community. While coverage with the two doses increased from 88% of eligible children in the region's 53 member states in 2016 to 90% in 2017, "large disparities at the local level persist," the agency said, and while some countries report over 95% coverage, others are below 70%.
Vaccination rates slipped 20 years ago, hurt by the scaremongering that followed the publication in The Lancet in 1998 of a paper by Andrew Wakefield at the Royal Free hospital in London who made claims, subsequently discredited, about a link between the MMR jab and autism. Wakefield was struck off the medical register and although take-up for vaccines recovered once his false claims were debunked, there are still some areas in Europe where anti-vaccine attitudes are held by sizeable minorities, most glaringly in Italy; earlier this month, Italy’s upper house of parliament voted through legislation from the ruling anti-establishment government led by the Five Star movement to remove the legal obligation to vaccinate schoolchildren.
Last week, a report from OHE Consulting commissioned by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry was published to celebrate the contribution of medicines and vaccines to the NHS in the year the service turned 70. Health experts in the UK were asked what they believe to be the ten most important and impactful treatments have been and the MMR vaccine made the list.
The report noted that in 1948, there were almost 400,000 cases of measles in the UK and 327 people died. 1994 was the first year without a measles death and by 2015 the number of cases in the UK stood at 1,200 – as of Aug. 21, there have been 828 confirmed measles cases in England this year.