Within the framework of the #VaccinAction2023 EU project, Active Citizenship Network held on the14th of September 2023, from 15:00-17:00 CEST, the online training event titled “Healthy living, healthy ageing: burden of VPDs in European adults population - what if we do nothing?”.
Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) are diseases caused by bacteria and viruses that can be prevented by vaccines.
The initiative consisted of a 2-hour free of charge training seminar ( if you missed it see the recording) opened to leaders of civic and patient associations from different countries in order to respond – with the support of independent experts - to the need to be more updated and prepared to support and protect the value, in particular, of adult immunization and its related benefits for the protection of both individual and public health.
This year, we have chosen to change our approach compared to previous training sessions. For once, we have also prioritized what is currently emerging among those who are involved in and leading European projects focused on this topic.
In this regard, we have invited representatives from the Vaccine Safety Initiative, an international scientific think tank and non-profit research organization with a mission to promote science-informed research and communication on infectious diseases and vaccine safety, as well as a Medical Anthropologist. We also launched the new #VaccinAction2023 communication campaign in advance, with an introduction by the agency that helped us create it.
AGENDA and materials
15:00 – 15:15 Introduction: Daniela Quaggia, Active Citizenship Network
15:15 – 15:45: "Vaccine equity and education": Barbara Rath*
15:45 – 16:00: Q&A (Questions and Answers)
16:00 – 16:30 "Trust in vaccines": Ruth Kutalek**
16:30 – 16:45: Q&A
16:45 – 16:55 #VaccinAction 2023 Communication Campaign launch: Jake Harrison***
16:55 – 17:00: Greetings and Next Steps
*Barbara Rath: is a board-certified paediatrician and infectious disease specialist. She is Research Director at the University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and, among the many assignments, co-founder and chair of the Vaccine Safety Initiative (VIVI) an international scientific think tank and non-profit organization focused on new avenues for the treatment, monitoring, communication and prevention of infectious diseases.
**Ruth Kutalek is a Medical Anthropologist and Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Her research currently focuses on anthropological perspectives of infectious diseases and vaccine hesitancy. She will speak about the contribution of social sciences to the debate of vaccine hesitancy with some conrete experiences.
***Jake Harrison: Senior Account Manager - Health & Life Sciences Stripe Communications | Former Life Science Policy Lead at CBI (Confederation of British Industry)
To know more on the engagement of Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network on vaccination, click here.
