The structure and function of immunization advisory committees in Western Europe

National immunization advisory committees are charged with making recommendations to either a governmental agency or the public regarding which vaccines that children and/or adults at specific ages, or with specific risk factors, should receive. However, there may be significant variability in a variety of aspects of such committees including the manner in which they are constituted, the process of their deliberations, and their authority. We explored the policies and roles of immunization advisory committees in each of ten of the largest nations in Western Europe and found significant variation among the nations. Conceptually, this variation was able to be categorized into six specific domains; committee membership, processes of meetings, basis for decision making, financial issues, authority and the role of manufacturers and insurers.