The GSK J4 nmr final step towards a public program is funding approval, often involving other government departments with competing funding requests impinging on the process. Whereas requests to fund vaccines are increasingly framed in economic terms, equally stringent criteria are seldom applied to other major healthcare expenditures, such as new therapeutic agents. An unfortunately common consequence of this multi-step process is delayed population access to an approved vaccine. A recent study of European countries [3] showed that the median interval between marketing authorization and population access to three newer vaccines

(if granted) was 6.5 years, with wide variation among countries. Prolonged NITAG deliberations were the major source of delay. A number of other circumstances can limit population access to a new vaccine. Countries may reach different conclusions about vaccine use, with

some supplying it to their population and others not. For example, varicella vaccination programs receive public funding in the USA, Canada, and Australia but not in the United Kingdom; however, www.selleckchem.com/products/MS-275.html the UK funds zoster vaccine for seniors [4] while the other countries mentioned do not. The UK’s NITAG [5] recently decided not to recommend funding a new vaccine all against group B meningococcal infection (MenB), citing mainly inadequate cost-effectiveness, a decision decried by some as flawed [6] and [7]. Countries with multiple independent health jurisdictions can have discordant internal programs that depart from the national recommendation. Australia provides an example, where one of seven states provides influenza vaccine to healthy young children [8]. Population access to a new vaccine is also influenced by program scope and whether a catch-up component is included. Provision of influenza vaccine to healthy children

in the UK is illustrative: currently 2 and 3 year olds are eligible and ultimately all children 2–16 years of age will be eligible [9]. Meanwhile, a few areas of the country are already extending vaccinations to older children. Such discrepancies in population access may be of concern for parents whose children are at risk but not presently eligible for particular vaccines. A question that is too seldom asked is why should individuals who could be protected by a newly approved vaccine not take advantage of it, whether it is publicly-funded or not? MenB vaccine is a case in point since the UK decision against funding [5] inevitably means that some unvaccinated children will die or suffer permanent harm [6] and [7].