Study shows decreased vaccine effectiveness of the seasonal influenza vaccine; ECDC Director urges to develop more effective vaccines

The Eurosurveillance journal of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), on 12 April 2012, published early estimates of the effectiveness of the 2011/2012 influenza vaccine, showing a rather low protective effect of the vaccine of around 43% in a study across eight European countries. This is about ten percentage points lower than what was found using the same methodology last season (2010/2011).

These preliminary results come from the Influenza Monitoring Vaccine Effectiveness in Europe (I-MOVE). I-MOVE is a network funded by ECDC and coordinated by EpiConcept to monitor seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness. Final publication of the whole series of I-MOVE studies will provide full data on vaccine effectiveness of the seasonal influenza vaccine for the 2011/2012 season.