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<p>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is the Government’s
independent expert advisory body and its advice has always previously been followed.</p><p>The
United Kingdom frequently adopts innovative immunisation schedules and we regularly
change the vaccine schedule following the advice of the JCVI.</p><p>The JCVI advised
that a two-dose schedule for the infant pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevenar13
is appropriate for the UK in place of the current three-dose schedule.</p><p>The JCVI’s
advice was given full consideration, taking into account the potential public health
implications, such as impact on cases of pneumococcal disease, before a decision was
made to implement it. The evidence shows that two doses will sustain the results we
have already seen. The decision is based on the excellent effectiveness of the vaccine
and years of high uptake, which has helped to provide protection to the rest of the
population and has successfully controlled many types of pneumococcal disease in this
country.</p><p>We are confident that the world-class disease surveillance system we
have in this country means our expert committee can closely monitor the impact of
this change.</p>
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