In recent years, we have seen a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, reversing progress that could have been sustained through effective immunisation programmes. Penta strongly supports childhood vaccination as one of the most effective ways to prevent serious infectious diseases and protect children, families and communities.
We support immunisation recommendations based on the best available scientific evidence and aligned with World Health Organization guidance, while recognising that national programmes may adapt schedules to their public health contexts.
Vaccination policies and schedules should draw on robust data concerning safety, effectiveness, immunogenicity and disease burden, while taking into account the needs of children. Every child should have timely access to recommended vaccines through well-designed routine immunisation programmes and the support of trusted healthcare professionals. Delayed or missed vaccinations can leave children and communities unnecessarily vulnerable to preventable diseases.
Penta helps strengthen the evidence base for paediatric vaccination by coordinating and supporting clinical studies on infectious diseases affecting children. This work includes evaluating vaccine safety, immune responses and effectiveness across different populations and settings, including through research on COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents.
Through this work, Penta also contributes to the knowledge and partnerships needed to support transparent communication, ongoing monitoring and meaningful engagement with families, communities and healthcare professionals. These efforts, together with sustained investment in research and immunisation systems, are essential to ensuring equitable access and high coverage, particularly for children in resource-limited, conflict or disaster-affected settings. Penta recommends the use of combined mumps, measles, rubella +/- varicella in well resourced settings. This is based on the advantages of protecting children against all these childhood illnesses with the least number of injections, and the strong evidence of no causal link between receiving MMR and the development of autism or other prolonged adverse effects.
Penta’s commitment is unequivocal. Evidence-based childhood vaccination is essential to protecting children’s health and must remain a global priority. We will continue working with researchers, healthcare professionals, communities, policymakers and partners to strengthen confidence in vaccination and help ensure that every child can benefit from safe, effective and appropriate preventive care.