Thus, this new commission could perform its advisory selleck function with greater independence. The success of vaccines has reduced public fear of some diseases. However, public fear of the side effects of vaccines, real and perceived, is increasing despite continuous improvements in the quality and regulation of vaccines. These public concerns have resulted in childhood vaccinations being delayed or even not given at all, resulting in potentially serious consequences for the individual and the community

at large (e.g., there were recent measles outbreaks in various Swiss cantons and neighboring countries). Adding to this problem, health authorities are constantly adapting vaccination recommendations as new data become available, which contributes to public confusion.

To address these issues, health authorities need to be able to clearly explain how their recommendations are developed. The Commission Fédérale pour les Vaccinations (CFV; Federal Vaccination Commission), the Swiss National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG), is crucial to this process because it serves as an advisor to health authorities, and bases its recommendations on constantly Capmatinib cost updated scientific data. The CFV was established on 2 July 2004 by the Federal Councilor in charge of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA). The CFV was originally proposed by the Director of the Federal Office

of Public Health (FOPH). The Federal Councilor created this expert commission to address the ever-increasing complexity of vaccination issues. The CFV is charged with two main tasks: (1) to be a scientific advisor to the health authorities for formulating vaccination recommendations and (2) to act as a major mediator between the authorities, experts, and the public 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase on questions concerning vaccinations. The commission consists of 15 members (although the current commission consists of 16 members, an exception to the usual practice) in order to ensure an optimal distribution of the different professional backgrounds on the CFV (Table 1). The Secretariat is based at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) in Bern. The Secretariat staff includes: Virginie Masserey Spicher, a pediatrician and infectious diseases specialist; Hans-Peter Zimmermann, a medical doctor; and Catherine Bourquin, a medical doctor. An official document titled “Acte d’institution et décision de nomination” (institutional decree for nomination) was signed by the Federal Councilor in charge of the Federal Department of Home Affairs in 2004, and it defines the commission’s mission and structure. This document is not accessible to the public.