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On 12 September, the European Commission together with the WHO organised a global summit aiming at reversing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and stopping the dissemination of vaccine misinformation. The event, which was also attended by a representative of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists, discussed the availability of safe and effective vaccines, the lack of access, the problem of vaccine shortages, as well as the growing issue of misinformation and the diminishing public confidence in the value of vaccines.

The following actions were agreed on by the attendees of the summit:

1. Promote global political leadership and commitment to vaccination and build effective collaboration and partnerships—across international, national, regional and local levels with health authorities, health professionals, civil society, communities, scientists and industry—to protect everyone everywhere through sustained high vaccination coverage rates.

2. Ensure all countries have national immunisation strategies in place and implemented, and strengthen its financial sustainability, in line with progress towards universal health coverage, leaving no one behind.

3. Build strong surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly those under global elimination and eradication targets.

4. Tackle the root causes of vaccine hesitancy, increasing confidence in vaccination, as well as designing and implementing evidence-based interventions.

5. Harness the power of digital technologies, so as to strengthen the monitoring of the performance of vaccination programmes.

6. Sustain research efforts to continuously generate data on the effectiveness and safety of vaccines and impact of vaccination programmes.

7. Continue efforts and investment, including novel models of funding and incentives, in research, development and innovation for new or improved vaccine and delivery devices.

8. Mitigate the risks of vaccine shortages through improved vaccine availability monitoring, forecasting, purchasing, delivery and stockpiling systems, and collaboration with producers and all participants in the distribution chain to make best use …