Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This article emphasizes the comprehensive importance of vaccination, exploring its role in disease prevention, addressing growing concerns around vaccine hesitancy, and underscoring the crucial need for high vaccination coverage rates. METHODS: Our review examines EU-level and national policies on vaccination, utilizing EU sources, with a specific focus on regulatory and policy documents. Vaccination calendars in the EU were reviewed through the ECDC Vaccine Scheduler webpage. The parameters of this literature review were further selected in collaboration with an Emory Health sciences librarian using the following search terms: healthcare providers, communication, public health, informed consent, and bioethics. RESULTS: The analysis of limited articles on community engagement, moral and political philosophy, and public health ethics informs the ethical consideration of informed consent in public health interventions. Countries exhibit varying relationships between their vaccination programs and society, with technocratic and populist influences shaping vaccination policies. CONCLUSIONS: Europe demonstrates diversity in vaccination policies, with availability, funding, and scheduling reflecting distinct approaches to vaccination.